CENTER WILL BE CLOSED ON TUESDAY, MAY 30 FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY

But the wildflowers are starting to bloom in the pollinator field and the foot bridge on the Orange Trail has been temporarily repaired. Watch for the blue Spiderwort, False Blue Indigo, Blue-eyed grass, white Yarrow, blooming aster-like Fleabane and Golden Ragwort now and the yellow Coreopsis will be in bloom soon.

GIRL SCOUT TREE PLANTING PROJECT

Local Girl Scout Troop 1839 held a tree planting project at the wildlife education center on November 20. This project was part of the scouts’ national conservation initiative to plant five million trees in the next five years. The scouts coordinated with foundation members on the type of trees and location for planting. The trees were placed in the landscape around the center. Also that day Tomi Bergstrom of the WVDEP provided an educational opportunity for the scouts to learn more about the importance of conservation and the role of trees in the ecosystem. The scouts also collected data for two national Citizen Science projects related to stream health and tree growth. Home Depot Store #4802 donated soil for the project.

CENTER HOURS ANNOUNCED

The center is now open daily except State holidays. Hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday.

ELK EXHIBIT SPONSORS RECOGNIZED

We wish to thank the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the West Virginia Trophy Hunters Association for their generosity in providing funding for the elk exhibit. The handsome, full body mount bull elk arrived last summer from South Dakota and was installed in the main hall by Split Rock Studios along with the other specially created exhibits at the Center.

Elk were once native to our area and the WV Division of Natural Resources is working cooperatively with other organizations to re-establish a population in Logan and Mingo Counties on the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area.

BRICK ORDERS WILL CONTINUE

       The Foundation is now taking orders for the next round of bricks to be installed at the entrance to the wildlife center. This is the perfect time to order a brick to commemorate a friend, honor a loved one or celebrate a special occasion. Bricks make great gifts, too. You can order a brick by going to the Welcome page on this website or any other page that has the brick button, or e-mail us at: forksofcoalfoundation@gmail.com.

Thanks to everyone who ordered bricks. We appreciate your support!

FOUNDATION IS NOW IN THE KROGER REWARDS PROGRAM

If you are enrolled in the Kroger Community Rewards Program, you can now support the Foundation by visiting http://www.kroger.com, logging into your account and selecting Forks of  Coal State Natural Area Foundation by name or number – LU195.

CHIMNEY SWIFT HABITAT UPDATE

Thanks to the talented students and community spirited teachers at Boone Career and Technical Center, new habitat was built for a native bird species that needs a place to live. Chimney Swifts are a beneficial part of our ecosystem because they eat lots of insects, but lack of chimneys and other suitable habitat has led to a decline in their populations.

Chimney Swifts migrate to South America to escape our cold winters and return  in late March. Nesting begins in May and they fly south again in November.

The Foundation collaborated with the Handlan Chapter of the Brooks Bird Club to fund construction of the tower to provide a nesting/resting place for the birds. Since no one in the Foundation or the Bird Club was experienced in building anything like this, the Boone Career and Technical Center (BCTC) stepped up to make it happen.

Thanks to Foundation board members Bobby Miller and Frank Coulter, Jim Triplett and Rick Gregg of the Bird Club and several students from BCTC.

Chimney Swifts arrived on the property this spring (2022) and have been seen near the tower. Let’s hope they will make it their home.

Fundraising for the Claudia L. Workman Wildlife Education Center is ongoing. Programs, trail maintenance and additions to the Orange Trail system are planned. Click Here to support the center with a donation of any amount.

Design Renderings for Claudia L. Workman Wildlife Education Center: Front (above) and rear (below)

Forks of Coal Rear

Click here to see full interior design rendering

Other News: 

TheForks of Coal State Natural Area Foundation gratefully accepts gifts and donations from individuals, families, groups of friends, businesses and community organizations for Forks of Coal State Natural Area. The Foundation is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization. For more information about the park bench sponsorships contact Kim McCluskey at 304/982-2008.

Donations may be made through our website.

Click here to donate.