Lake Moomaw’s Bolar Mountain Campground Reopens
Warm Springs, VA – Campground renovation work at Lake Moomaw’s Bolar Mountain was completed in early July and all of the recreation activities are once again fully available to the public. Campground reconstruction began in the fall of 2009 and resumed in March, 2010 at Lake Moomaw after a long delay due to winter weather. New bath house and shower facilities are in place at the beach, and at Campgrounds 1, 2, and 3.
Morris Hill Campground at Lake Moomaw will close for the season on September 7, 2010, earlier than normal. The Army Corp of Engineers manages the water system at the campground and has maintenance and repairs of the system scheduled during this time.
Three trail crews have been employed since mid May, one each for Allgehany, Bath, and Highland. Trail crews have been trained and work is underway on National Forests trails on the George Washington-Jefferson National Forest. The Recovery Act is providing funding for temporary employment in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia in 2010.
The Student Conservation Association, a long time partner of the Forest Service, is the employing company and has hired people to accomplish trail maintenance work on National Forest trails. The purpose of this program is to provide employment opportunities, stimulate local economies, and accomplish meaningful work in our national forests.
A Timber Management Update
Under Contract:
Brushy Mountain Salvage, purchaser Shenandoah Hardwood Co., located in Alleghany County. Logging operation resumed and this sale is active. The sale terminates November 2011.
The Wilson Mountain Timber Sale, purchaser Jackie Smith Logging, located in Alleghany Co., Logging operations resumed and this sale is now active. The sale terminates November 2010.
The Cubville Timber Sale, Bath County, purchaser Blue Ridge Lumber. Logging operations have completed. Revegetation and erosion control work are in progress. This sale terminates November 2010.
In the planning phase:
The Humpback Timber Sale. The Decision Notice for the Humpback Timber Sale was released and the appeal period expired on June 24, 2010. No appeals were received. Humpback is scheduled for sale in September, 2010. The objective of the Humpback project, located in Alleghany County, is to capture timber mortality caused by gypsy moth defoliation in 2009 and to regenerate red oak.
The Back Creek Project. A proposed action soliciting public comment on the Back Creek Timber Sale, located in Bath County, will be issued in August, 2010 and the environmental analysis and decision notice will be released by the end of 2010. Back Creek is scheduled to be sold in 2011.