IN THIS ISSUE:2 Director’s Message 3–5 Annual Report6–7 Faces of Conservation

UPDATEWEST VIRGINIA

FALL/WINTER 2016

CONNECT WITH NATURE: NATURE.ORG/EXPLOREWV

From fishing in the Little Kanawha to visiting the stunning vistas of the cool West Virginia highlands, living in and experiencing the Mountain State has given me a lasting appreciation of the nat-ural world that defines West Virginia’s beauty, soul and values. This state hasn’t just been my home…it has been a place where I love to live, work and play. I’m sure you feel the same way.

But West Virginia is so much more than an unparalleled backdrop to our lives and outdoor adventures. This year, I encourage you to think

about the wide-ranging impacts of our efforts to conserve the Mountain State. The accomplish-ments you have made possible support intact forests, clean air and fresh water for millions of people in the eastern United States. These resources can provide significant economic benefits, promote better health, and cultivate an increased quality of life for communities in West Virginia and beyond. Consider the tourism a place like Cheat Canyon brings to the economy, or the rejuvenating effect of a stroll through the high-elevation spruce forests of Dolly Sods and our renowned Bear Rocks Preserve.

For those reasons and many more, I give thanks to you for your crucial role in achieving the successes detailed in this newsletter’s annual report. We truly appreciate what it means for you to make a contribution. Please know that your support pushes forward important on-the-ground initiatives that scale up at an incredible level, like leveraging protection over the Sinks of Gandy or identifying priority streams for clean water (Pages 3-5).

And I cannot emphasize enough how much your commitment means in the face of today’s challenges. There are real threats to the ability of our natural resources to sustain our commu-nities. That’s why we created the Heart of the Appalachians Catalyst Challenge—a unique and time-sensitive opportunity for you to double your impact by protecting West Virginia as the vital heart of the Central Appalachians (Page 3).

I am confident in our capability for collaboration and innovation in the face of these challenges. If we approach them together and head-on, we can make a real difference in securing our forests and rivers for a thriving West Virginia that supports people and nature, both here in our beloved Mountain State and across the eastern United States.

Please give online today at nature.org/donatewv or simply use the included return envelope.

Yours in Conservation,

Thomas Minney Executive Director The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

Heart of the AppalachiansWEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Joyce McConnell, Chair

David W. Gerhardt, Vice Chair

Robert Nutting, Vice Chair

Robert O. Orders Jr., Vice Chair

Pamela Byrne, Treasurer

Robert M. Steptoe Jr., Immediate Past Chair

Edward C. Armbrecht III

Kevin Ellis

James E. Grey

Benjamin A. Hardesty

Thomas C. Hulsey

Frank Jezioro

Robert E. Lannan, Esq.

W. Henry Lawrence

Britt Ludwig

Brooks F. McCabe Jr.

Daniel A. Weekley

Catherine G. Abbott, Emerita

Edward C. Armbrecht Jr., Emeritus

Judith D. Dumke, Emerita

Charles Jones, Emeritus

Ronald R. Potesta, Emeritus

The Nature Conservancy is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) international membership organization. Its mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.

The Nature Conservancy meets all of the Standards for Charity Accountability established by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. The BBB Wise Giving Alliance is a national charity watchdog affiliated with the Better Business Bureau.

COVER Bear Rocks Preserve © Kent Mason; THIS PAGE Thomas Minney © The Nature Conservancy

Printed on 100% PCW recycled, process chlorine-free paper, creating the following benefits:

2.6 trees preserved for the future

2,477.8 gal. water not produced

253.5 lbs. solid waste not generated

831.5 lbs. CO2 prevented

NATURE.ORG/EXPLOREWV 3

2016 ANNUAL REPORT

THIS PAGE TOP TO BOTTOM Sinks of Gandy © Kent Mason; Rafting on the Cheat River © Kent Mason

A LOOK AT MAJOR CONSERVATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE PAST YEAR

ANNUAL REPORT2016 West Virginia

Heart of the Appalachians Catalyst ChallengeWe’ve created an unprecedented opportunity for you to double your conser-vation impact. For a limited time only, the Heart of the Appalachians Catalyst Challenge is available to match your gift 1:1 in order to conserve West Virginia as the vital Heart of the Appalachians. Unrestricted cash gifts and pledges of $10,000 or more from individuals and $25,000 from companies and foundations qualify.

For more information, please contact: Amanda Nickeson Cherry | Director of Philanthropy acherry@tnc.org | (412) 296-1852

Thanks to you, we’re taking action to protect, transform and inspire long-lasting conservation results in the Heart of the Appalachians—results that mean a better future for people and nature.

Protecting and Restoring the World’s Most Important PlacesSinks of GandyIn 2016, an exciting new chapter for conservation in West Virginia began with the protection of a 418-acre parcel in the captivating Sinks of Gandy. This remote landscape high in the eastern mountains, with its spruce forests, sinkholes, lime-stone caves and mountain streams, has been a popular place for generations of West Virginians who have hiked and fished in the area. It supports a variety of rare species and serves as an important buffer along the Laurel Fork Wilderness Area of Monongahela National Forest. Such connectors in the Central Appalachians sustain healthy, diverse plant and animal populations and are critical for wildlife species as they respond to changing environmental conditions.

The Nature Conservancy is currently facil-itating restoration work on the property by coordinating habitat enhancement of the land as a conservation bank—an innovative conservation mechanism that functions to offset impacts to habitat that occurred elsewhere in development. Once restoration is complete, the property will be transferred to the U.S. Forest Service for long-term protection and become one

of the many destinations visitors and resi-dents enjoy in West Virginia.

Cheat CanyonIn 2014, the Conservancy along with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) and The Conservation Fund—and through support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—took action to conserve Cheat Canyon as a landscape renowned for its outstanding recreation, rich biological diversity and spectacular views. This incredible project, which protected 3,800 acres along a seven-mile stretch of Cheat River in Preston County, is being managed by WVDNR as the Cheat Canyon Wildlife Management Area. Since its initial protec-tion, the area has been made accessible to the public with trailheads, parking areas and signs. Recreational opportunities include hiking, hunting, fishing, birding and whitewater rafting. Continued on Page 4.

4 WEST VIRGINIA UPDATE 2016 FALL/WINTER

the 330-mile stretch of the Allegheny Trail that cuts through

Cheat Canyon was re-established

for hiking and wildlife viewing. While the Conservancy kept 1,300 acres to open as the new Charlotte Ryde Nature Preserve, we are currently in the pro-cess of completing the final transfer of the rest of the land to WVDNR. This project serves as a shining example of the accomplishments made possible through public-private collaboration, and how an iconic stretch of land, which protected one of the most ecologically intact sections of rivers in the Central Appalachians, can help people and nature thrive.

Watershed AssessmentThe Potomac River is one of the largest rivers along the Atlantic Coast and supports millions of people in the eastern United States. Due to its importance, the Conservancy com-pleted an assessment in the Potomac Headwaters region of West Virginia to identify healthy waters and targets for protection and restoration. This year,

these findings were added to an online tool, and the Conservancy collaborated with a variety of partners to assist in the utilization of this tool and to show how to incorporate the results into state-wide water prioritization.

The success of the Potomac assessment led to the completion of nine additional watershed assessments in the past year. By using this data to make informed decisions on the effective conservation of streams and rivers, West Virginia takes an important step toward protect-ing the clean water on which so many lives depend.

Transforming the Way We Use and Manage ResourcesBest Practices in Shale SitingOver the past year, the Conservancy has engaged with stakeholders across Appalachia, including corporations, academia, communities and non-gov-ernmental organizations. Through a series of workshops co-convened with the Center for Sustainable Shale Development at Carnegie Mellon University, we have brought together these stakeholders to define the specif-ics and recognition process of improved

siting and development practices. The Conservancy’s energy program is making groundbreaking strides toward smart, sustainable energy solutions by pioneering impact assessments, the powerful siting tool LEEP (Landscape Environmental Energy Planning), science-based recommended practices and an overall collaborative approach. As West Virginia looks at how to manage its resources sustainably in the coming years, the continual development and adaptation of these standards and tools will provide critical paths forward for working together to reduce impacts on land, water, wildlife and communities.

Conservation at the Capitol Building At the end of 2015, Congress passed and President Obama signed a bill that included three of the Conservancy’s top priorities: 1) a three-year reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the principal source of funding for land and water conservation in West Virginia; 2) permanent enhanced tax deductions for conservation easements, which provide private landowners with an important financial tool that motivates them to choose conservation for the future of forests and farmlands; and

THIS YEAR

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

THIS PAGE The Nature Conservancy coordinated the planting of thousands of spruce trees at Blackwater Falls State Park this year © Kent Mason

NATURE.ORG/EXPLOREWV 5

3) increased funding for conservation programs, thereby supporting West Virginia’s on-the-ground restoration and conservation work.

This momentum continued over the summer when Conservancy trustees from across the nation, including West Virginia, came to Washington, D.C., to meet with 175 members of Congress and ask them to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund permanently, to pass a strong energy bill and more.

Inspiring Leaders and Empowering New Ambassadors for ConservationLeaders in Environmental Action for the Future (LEAF)In 2016, the Conservancy in West Virginia hosted LEAF students for the eighth consecutive year. The high school interns explored some of West Virginia’s most beautiful places and completed field work at Bear Rocks Preserve, Cranesville Swamp Preserve and Canaan Valley. The LEAF program offers paid summer internships for stu-dents from urban communities across the nation to engage them in conserva-tion activities, and helps educators from

environmental high schools share best practices and scientific resources during the academic year. This program has a tremendous impact on urban youth—opening their eyes to career possibilities and building self-confidence, work skills and conservation literacy. More than 30 percent of LEAF alumni pursue careers in green fields, and more than 50 percent volunteer for environmental causes in their communities.

OktoberForestIn October, the Conservancy in West Virginia teamed up with West Virginia breweries as a part of OktoberForest, a joint campaign of the Conservancy and breweries across America to inspire and inform on the connection of forests to the water they produce. Forests filter more than half of America’s water, which happens to be the main ingredient of beer. But our forests face serious threats from unsustainable development, invasive species and climate change. West Virginia’s OktoberForest cam-paign used events and social networking to raise awareness of the importance of forest health in the Appalachians.

Connecting Appalachian Forests2016 Restoration Work in West Virginia

1,300acres treated for invasive species

500acres where red spruce seedlings and saplings have been exposed to sunlight and “released”

6,800red spruce trees planted

2016 ANNUAL REPORT

THIS PAGE LEFT TO RIGHT LEAF students visiting West Virginia © The Nature Conservancy; South Branch of the Potomac River © Kent Mason; A member of the Conservancy’s Ecological Restoration Team evaluating the forest canopy during spruce release © The Nature Conservancy

6 WEST VIRGINIA UPDATE 2016 FALL/WINTER

Corporate Council for the Environment DinnerIn May, The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia held its annual Corporate Council for the Environment Dinner to celebrate the corporate-giving relationships that support the Conservancy’s efforts to protect West Virginia’s most

important places and transform the way that the public and private sectors use and manage the state’s resources. The event drew leading executives from across West Virginia’s business community and highlighted the leverage that their support for conservation can provide to the Conservancy’s mission. It also emphasized how that support can demonstrate their commitment to environmental objectives. For more information on the benefits of joining the Conservancy in West Virginia’s Corporate Council, please see Page 8.

A Natural LegacyThough she was born and raised in the Washington, D.C., area, Phoebe Nicholas held a special passion for West Virginia’s wilderness. She and her husband Charles regularly

visited their vacation home in Berkeley Springs, and it was there that Phoebe developed an appreciation for West Virginia’s many natural values. That’s why she chose to make a $1.8 million gift though her will for land acquisition in the state.

“This bequest makes a monumental impact in West Virginia,” says Thomas Minney, executive director of The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia. “It is an honor to receive such a gift, which will support crucial efforts to conserve the forests and rivers that provide clean water and air to millions of people and important habitat for countless plants and animals. I hope Phoebe’s gift will inspire others to think about how planned giving can have lasting results on leveraging conservation actions in West Virginia.”

Second Annual Clays for Conservation

In August, Bob Nutting and Frank Jezioro, trustees of The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia, hosted the second annual

Clays for Conservation event at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. Approximately 70 participants from businesses, industry and organizations across the region gathered to network, shoot sporting clays with U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, and learn more about the Conservancy’s efforts to sustain natural resources that serve as important drivers in the health, economies and recreational opportu-nities of communities across West Virginia and the Central Appalachians.

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FACES OF CONSERVATION

THIS PAGE LEFT TO RIGHT Antero Resources’ regional Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Al Schopp giving the keynote remarks at the 2016 Corporate Council for the Environment Dinner © Clayton Spangler; Phoebe Nicholas © Courtesy of Dominica Lord-Wood; U.S. Senator Joe Manchin shooting clays at the Conservancy’s second annual Clays for Conservation event © Seven Springs Mountain Resort

NATURE.ORG/EXPLOREWV 7

FACES OF CONSERVATION

Thank You to Our SupportersBecause of your support, The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia continues to accomplish our broad, science-driven conservation goals. Each gift furthers our mission to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends, and we are grateful for the support of all individuals, corporations and foundations who enable this work. We especially thank our supporters who have made gifts of $1,000 or more between July 1, 2015, and June 30, 2016.

In-Kind Gifts & Services

Charleston Gazette-MailCheat River OutfittersDurbin & Greenbrier

Valley RailroadElite Shotguns LLCGNC CorporationFrank JezioroOgden Newspapers Inc.Mr. Kent W. MasonSeven Springs Mountain

ResortSnowshoe Mountain ResortTriana Energy LLCWest Virginia UniversityThe Wine Shop at Capitol

Market

$1,000+ Gifts & Pledges

$50,000-$99,999Anonymous

$25,000-$49,999AnonymousMs. Joyce E. McConnell &

Mr. Vincent TrivelliMrs. Angus E. Peyton

$10,000-$24,999Anonymous (3)Ann C. & Robert O. Orders Jr.

Family FoundationAppalachian Stewardship

FoundationDr. Robert Batterman &

Mrs. Carolyn McMullenDr. Thomas H. Covey &

Mrs. Hope K. CoveyMr. & Mrs. Kevin EllisBenjamin A. & Jean M.

HardestyMs. April Hatfield &

Mr. Jonathan MaxwellMr. & Mrs. W. H. LawrenceElissa Leonard and Jay Powell Dr. F.K. MillarMr. & Mrs. Robert M. NuttingMr. & Mrs. Robert Orders Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Robert M.

Steptoe Jr.Mr. Henry K. Willard II

$5,000-$9,999Mr. & Mrs. Ernest AbbottMr. & Mrs. Edward C.

Armbrecht Jr.Chingos FoundationJerry & Susan DorschDavid & Jody GerhardtMs. Jessie Harris & Mr.

George CunninghamMr. & Mrs. R. Harvey Jr.Ms. Kathryn K. PowersSouthwestern Energy

$2,500-$4,999Professor William J. Canady

& Mrs. Loulie D. CanadyDebra CervenkaSteve & Amanda CherryGreatergood.orgCharles T. & Mary Ellen JonesDr. & Mrs. Robert KendallMr. & Mrs. Ronald R. PotestaSean & Amy SebastianKevin StilesAnnette Tanner

$1,000-$2,999Mr. & Mrs. Charles Agle David B. AlvarezDonald B. ApplegarthDr. William J. ArnoldMr. Evan R. Buck & Mrs.

Theresa K. BuckMs. Pamela M. Byrne &

Mr. John E. HuertaChristopher CarrMr. Robert S. Crawford &

Mrs. Janet L. CrawfordMr. & Mrs. Henry DavenportMr. Patrick D. Deem &

Mrs. Alison H. DeemBarbara S. DucatmanMr. Steven Galatis &

Ms. Michelle Matel Mrs. June R. Huyett Thomas

& Mr. Jim A. ThomasMr. Eugene L. Jeffus &

Mrs. Annie JeffusJezioro’s Personal TrainingRobert E. Lannan, Esq. &

Mrs. Jane Pritchard

Mrs. Marjorie K. Lewellen & Mr. William S. Lewellen

Lowell Greenwood, Esq.Catherine C. LyonsMr. & Mrs. Kent W. MasonMr. & Mrs. Brooks McCabeRobert & Miriam MillerMr. & Mrs. G. Ogden NuttingMr. Lee T. PaulesRafe & Lenore PomeranceResource Environmental

SolutionsDr. Emma Shelton William H. SimpsonDr. Harlan M. Smith II &

Dr. Elizabeth R. SmithAngela W. SosdianDr. John E. Stealey III &

Dr. Patricia T. StealeyJames R. StultzShelby VaughnMr. & Mrs. Maurice

WadsworthCharles C. WalbridgeAnn L. WardwellMs. Jennifer S. Williams &

Mr. William C. JacobKenneth C. WrightRoger & Joyce Zipfel

Corporate Council for the Environment

Founders’ Circle: $25,000+Dominion Resources

Services Inc.Orders Construction

Company Inc. Steptoe & Johnson PLLCTriana Energy

Leaders’ Circle: $10,000-$24,999Antero Resources

CorporationOgden Newspapers Inc.

Directors’ Circle: $5,000-$9,999Central ContractingCharleston Gazette-MailDingess-Rum Properties

Partners’ Circle: $2,500-$4,999Amherst Madison Inc.Potesta & Associates Inc.Snowshoe Mountain Resort

Members’ Circle: $1,000-$2,499Atrium HospitalityMcCabe Land CompanyRyan EnvironmentalWest Virginia UniversityThe Wine Shop at

Capitol Market

Corporate Matching Gift Programs

Bristol-Myers Squibb CompanyDominion FoundationGeneral Electric FoundationIBM Employee Services CenterWestRock Foundation

New Legacy Club Members

AnonymousEdward C. Armbrecht IIIDr. & Mrs. Bruce A. Dalton

Estate & Land Donors

AnonymousAntero ResourcesEdward M. DunlapPriscilla GillDr. F.K. MillarPhoebe O. NicholasCharlotte RydeDr. Emma Shelton Warburg Pincus LLCElizabeth C. Zimmerman

Tributes

In honor of:Mr. Ben Brown &

Mrs. Nancy Brown

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Orders Jr.Ms. Elizabeth ParkerMs. Lydia R. Walker

In memory of:Robert J. CailoaDr. John E. HallMr. Charles M. KincaidMrs. Carol C. LippencottMrs. Denis Nielsen-TackettCarrie Ethel WilliamsEileen Hamilton Witman

Special Thanks to Heart of the Appalachians Catalyst & Board Catalyst Challenge Donors

Anonymous (6)Ann C. & Robert O. Orders Jr.

Family FoundationDr. Robert Batterman &

Mrs. Carolyn McMullenDr. Thomas H. Covey &

Mrs. Hope K. CoveyDominion Resources

Services Inc.Mr. & Mrs. Kevin EllisBenjamin A. & Jean M.

HardestyMs. April Hatfield &

Mr. Jonathan MaxwellMr. & Mrs. W. H. LawrenceElissa Leonard and Jay Powell Ms. Joyce E. McConnell &

Mr. Vincent TrivelliDr. F.K. MillarMr. & Mrs. Robert M. Nutting Mr. & Mrs. Robert Orders Jr.Orders Construction

Company Inc. Mrs. Angus E. PeytonMr. & Mrs. Robert M.

Steptoe Jr.Steptoe & Johnson PLLCTriana EnergyMr. Henry K. Willard II

While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy and correct listing of each name, we cannot guarantee it. Please contact teresa.pershing@tnc.org for any questions or concerns.

The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia435 Wilson StreetElkins, WV 26241nature.org/westvirginia

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facebook.com/westvirginianatureconservancy

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OUR MISSION:TO CONSERVE THE LANDS AND WATERS ON WHICH A L L L I F E D E P E N D S .

2016 Annual ReportFrom an innovative conservation bank to prioritizing projects for clean water, learn more about our latest efforts to conserve West Virginia as the Heart of the Appalachians.

Why should you join West Virginia’s Corporate Council for the Environment?

CONNECT: Businesses have the opportunity to connect with cross-sector corporate leaders, policy experts and leading scientists who are interested in conservation and improving the environmental performance of their company.

LEARN: Businesses have a unique chance to learn about the Conservancy’s latest conservation efforts and science, as well as the implications to busi-nesses. In addition, council members are invited to networking events and outings at Conservancy preserves throughout West Virginia.

DEVELOP: As members, business owners and employees develop business tools and economic cases via networking that enable them to incorporate the value of nature into their business practices.

ENGAGE: Via your corporate giving relationship with The Nature Conservancy, you’ll have the opportunity to better understand and invest in nature’s benefits: fresh water, clean air, food and natural resources.

For more information, please contact: Amanda Nickeson Cherry | Director of Philanthropy

acherry@tnc.org | (412) 296-1852

Photo © Kent Mason

IN THISISSUE