Rivers, , and Conservation Assistance Program U.S. Department of the Interior Northeast Region

West News

NPS Unit State Capital

Groundwork Wyoming County Green Team members are led by an NPS Ranger on the New River Gorge National River. Photo credit: Joel Tucker, GWWC. PROJECTS AND PARTNERS 2012

CURRENT PROJECTS Recent Successes 1. Cacapon River State Water Cacapon and Lost Rivers Land Trust Great Eastern Tail – KY-WV-VA links 2. Canal Towns Heritage Starting in the early 2000’s, an idea birthed from hiking groups Canal Town Partnership, C&O Canal Trust, C&O -- to link existing hiking trails into a long-distance trail system Canal National Historical Park that parallels the . RTCA has helped with the 3. Meadow River Rail - Trail formation of this trail project and the Asso- Fayette & Greenbrier County Commissions ciation. From 2009-2011, RTCA worked with partners to focus 4. River Trail on identifying a Great Eastern Trail route through the 300-mile Trail Council gap between , , and Virginia (www. 5. Preston County Trail Development GreatEasternTrail.net). In West Virginia, a VISTA volunteer Friends of the Cheat continued on page 3 6. Ranson-Harpers Ferry Trail Loop Eastern Panhandle Trailblazers, Inc.

Find out more about each project starting on page 2.

ABOUT US The Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) Program is the community assistance arm of the National Park Service. RTCA staff provides technical assistance to community groups and local, state, and federal government agencies working to protect natural areas and water resources and enhance close-to-home outdoor recreation opportunities. We help communities plan, organize partnerships, and achieve on-the- ground success on projects they initiate. Hiking team scopes the future route of the Great Eastern Trail near Pipestem State Park Current Projects “We've been extraordinarily lucky to have Peggy RTCA Role Assist with identification and Pings' involvement in this initiative...what has completion of a short, on-the- happened this year would never have even begun ground section of trail based on prior feasibility studies; organizational without her." development of a tri-state trail -Tom Johnson, President, Great Eastern Trail Association umbrella organization.

1. Cacapon River State Water RTCA Role 5. Preston County Trail Trail Provide organizing, planning, and Development Project Partner: Cacapon and Lost technical assistance to the Canal Towns Project Partner: Friends of the Cheat Rivers Land Trust and their partners as they build an RTCA Contact: Peggy Pings RTCA Contact: Wink Hastings independent, high-functioning organi- Location: Kingwood, Tunnelton, Location: Hardy, Hampshire, and zation that promotes heritage tourism Rowlesburg, and Parsons in Preston Morgan counties, West Virginia programs and activities in relation to County, West Virginia Congressional District: WV-2 the C&O Canal and towpath. Congressional District: WV-1 Project Goal Project Goal Water trail map and guide to 3. Meadow River Rail-Trail Complete 2 rail-trails and 1 water trail strengthen environmental stewardship, Project Partner: Fayette & Greenbrier project: Cheat River Rail-Trail (7 miles), increase public awareness of the Caca- County Commissions Kingwood Northern Rail-Trail (10 pon River and the Land Trust, promote RTCA Contact: Peggy Pings miles), Upper Cheat River Blueway (33 recreational tourism, and seek State Location: Meadow River in Greenbrier miles). designation. and Fayette counties, West Virginia Congressional District: WV-3 RTCA Role RTCA Role: Project Goal Guide rail-trail acquisition processes, Guide collaborative public/private Acquire and convert 16.7 miles of assist partners in the state water trail partnership development, facilitate abandoned rail corridor to trail. designation process, and engage the broad-based community support, and public in the development of manage- leverage funds. RTCA Role ment plans.

2. Canal Towns Heritage Provide project guidance and expand public participation and awareness 6. Ranson-Lower Harpers Tourism with groundbreaking and ribbon Project Partners: Canal Town Ferry Loop Trail cutting events and brochure and map Project Partner: Eastern Panhandle Partnership, C&O Canal Trust, C&O Trailblazers Association Canal National Historical Park development; develop basic Trail RTCA Contact: Anne O’Neill RTCA Contact: Beth Porter Management Plan Location: Ranson, West Virginia Location: Communities along the Congressional District: WV-2 C&O Canal National Historical Park, 4. including: Hancock, MD; Sharpsburg, Project Partner: Ohio River Trail Council Project Goal MD; Cumberland, MD; Williamsport, NPS Contact: Peggy Pings Enhance densely populated, diverse MD; Point of Rocks, MD; Brunswick, Location: Ohio River in , communities’ connections to parks, MD; Shepherdstown, WV; Harpers Ohio, and West Virginia greenways, trails, and waterways to Ferry, WV Congressional District: WV-1 improve close-to-home recreation and Congressional Districts: MD-6, PA-18, Project Goal natural resource conservation. WV-2 Develop 41 miles of parallel bike Project Goal trail and water trail from Coraopolis RTCA Role For the 184-mile C&O Canal and its his- PA to ‘Point of Beginning’ (PA-WV- Assist by identifying resources, navigat- toric Canal Towns to serve as a nation- OH line), and develop a vision for a ing the planning process, and bringing ally recognized and promoted network linking system of over 100 miles of ideas to action with the goal of having linking park users with scenic, historic, land and water trails in PA-OH-WV. a finite and funded trail plan by Fall and recreational resources and high Some trailheads will be shared due to 2012 for the Ranson-Harpers Ferry quality visitor services in the towns. concurrent planning. Loop trail. page 2 We’re Here For You. Recent Successes cont. Could your project benefit from RTCA Staff Assistance? (Volunteers In Service To America) was employed to lead the community-based effort, Contact us to find out. based in Wyoming County. The TuGuNu Trail Club (Tug-Guyandotte-New Rivers) was formed, and routes started to get firmed up and ground-truthed. In 2012, a new VISTA volunteer will continue the effort, which is located within the National Coal Peggy Pings Heritage Area. 304.293.7528 [email protected] Groundwork Wyoming County Chris Niewold Starting with an application in 2006 to become a pilot Groundwork USA Trust com- 202.690.5153 munity, Groundwork Wyoming County (http://groundworkwc.org) has come into its [email protected] own. In 2010, GWWC formed their nonprofit organization, and hired Megan Smith, Beth Porter their first Executive Director. Current projects include Horse Creek Lake Revitaliza- 202.690.5169 tion, rehabbing the old Itmann School, and expanding their Green Team program. [email protected] The Green Team hosted a service project within the New River Gorge National River in August 2011, conducting a stream cleanup, learning about the environment and job Anne O’Neill opportunities, and capping it off with a rafting trip on the New River. Major project 202.360.9715 partners include Upper Guyandotte Watershed Association, West Virginia University anne_o’[email protected] Department of Landscape Architecture, and Wyoming County 4H. RTCA assisted GWWC throughout the 5 year process. Wink Hastings 410.260.2481 [email protected] “Groundwork Wyoming County greatly benefited from working with RTCA. RTCA staff helped build the capac- ity of our organization, which resulted in a strong fea- sibility study that outlined the creation of our organiza- 2011 Nationwide Partnership Success tion. They helped make us a more viable organization so that we can serve the people of Wyoming County.” -Megan Smith, Executive Director, Groundwork Wyoming County 1,991 Miles of Trail Developed

1,925 Miles of River Conserved

33,230 Acres of Open Space and Parkland Protected

Percentage of Community 94% Partners Satisfied

Find more information online at www.nps.gov/rtca

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™ Groundwork Wyoming County Green Team prepares to paddle the New River. Photo credit: Joel Tucker, GWWC. page 3