Nature Conservancy planting 36,000 trees to restore Canaan Valley

Yahoo

26-04-2025

DAVIS, W.Va. (WBOY) — In honor of Earth Week, volunteers with The Nature Conservancy have spent the past three days visiting Canaan Valley to plant thousands of trees.
The Nature Conservancy explained that previously, the area was dominated by balsam fir and red spruce, but much of it was cleared out due to agriculture and logging. Restoring Canaan Valley with these native plants is important to restoring the habitat and ensuring the survival of different species, such as the Cheat Mountain salamander and the West Virginia northern flying squirrel.
12 News talked to Mike Powell, Director of Land Management in Stewardship for the Nature Conservancy in West Virginia, who said that as part of the global effort 'Plant a Billion Trees,' the Nature Conservancy is going to plant 36,000 trees in Canaan Valley this year as well as 56,000 trees across West Virginia and 75,000 trees in Appalachians.
Cheat River Rail-Trail open for recreation in Kingwood
'We're going to ramp that up next year. So just here in Canaan Valley alone, we have a goal of planting about 150,000 trees next year,' Powell said.
Powell explained that Canaan Valley is ecologically important, and that Nature Conservancy research suggests that Canaan Valley 'is actually going to be, and already is, a super highway for species to be able to move up and further north.'
He said the Nature Conservancy is restoring Canaan Valley so that species 'have a place to either stay when they find suitable habitat here in a changing climate, or they're able to move further up the mountain or further north to adapt to those changing climate conditions.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.