Trails Threatened in Canaan Valley, West Virginia

Action Alert

For Immediate Release
01-02-02
Contact: Matt Marcus, IMBA West Virginia Rep

Attention mountain bikers: The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) needs your help. A new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Draft compatibility determination plan proposes to close more than 60 miles of popular mountain bike trails in West Virginia's Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge (CVNWR).

If implemented, the plan would provide bicyclists only 6.5 miles of trail out of a network of more than 70 miles total. This 6.5 miles consists of five very short dead end roads that originate at difficult to access trailheads. The new plan would, in effect, eliminate bicycling at this popular riding destination.

The International Mountain Bicycle Association (IMBA) is encouraging mountain bikers and hikers to contact the local land manager and members of West Virginia's congressional delegation to ask them to keep the trails open. Comment letters will be accepted through JANUARY 6, 2003. IMBA suggests that the following five points be included in comment letters:

• The proposed trail closures will fragment Tucker County's recreational trail system and eliminate access between its communities, parks and forests.
• The compatibility determination fails to mitigate for loss of trail mileage and for past and future damage to the local economy.
• The compatibility determination ignores the surrounding communities, volunteer groups and individuals who have expressed interest in developing a creative and realistic trail plan.
• The compatibility determination fails to supply research, evidence or logic supporting trail closures and ignore the conclusions of existing U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service studies.
• IMBA, the West Virginia Mountain Bike Association, Tucker County Trails Inc. are calling for a moratorium on trail closures in the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The trail system in Canaan Valley is a resource that is vitally important to the economic, physical, historic and environmental health of Tucker County and West Virginia.

Please support the efforts of West Virginia mountain bike advocacy leaders by writing letters to the land manager and Congressional members listed below. Please note that the best communication methods are mail, fax, or a phone call. Email is less preferable for communicating with Congress members.

Send comment letters to:

Jeff Shryer, Refuge Manager
Canaan Valley Wildlife Refuge
HC 70, Box 200
Davis, WV 26260
(304) 866-3858
fax: 866-3852
E-mail:

Honorable Alan B. Mollohan
U.S. House of Representatives
2346 Rayburn House Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-4172
fax: 225-7564

Honorable Robert C. Byrd
U.S. Senate
311 Hart Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-3954
fax: 228-0002

Honorable Jay Rockefeller, IV
U.S. Senate
531 Hart Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-6472
fax: 224-7665