West Virginia's Rich Lands, Waters, and Wildlife
J. Hajenga WV DNR
West Virginia, with a mean elevation of 1500 feet, is the most elevated state east of the Mississippi River. Because of the wide variation in elevation, latitude and longitude, West Virginia is considered a “transition state,” having attributes of the northern and southern states, and to some extent, eastern and western states.
With its wealth of contiguous quality forested habitats, West Virginia is crucial to sustaining viable populations, as well as providing source populations, for many of the declining neotropical migratory bird species. The state’s pristine mountain streams harbor a broad array of fish, mussels, dragonflies and damselflies, and other aquatic invertebrates.
West Virginia's Planning Approach
Key features of the West Virginia conservation action plan are its emphasis on conservation actions, including a land conservation initiative, and the collaborative approach to plan implementation.
E. Byers WVDNR
The action plan is both species- and habitat-based, its core component being the 128 species and species group fact sheets that will function as mini-plans within the broader comprehensive plan. Although the plan covers a ten-year span, it is actually only the first step in a continuous, adaptive management process for collaborative conservation of the state’s fish and wildlife resources and the habitats that sustain them.
West Virginia Department of Natural Resources
