Canaan Valley NWR is the 500th refuge in the National Wildlife Refuge System, which is under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior.
The Valley is 3,200 feet above sea level. Bogs and marshes comprise the majority of the Canaan Valley making it the largest wetland complex in West Virginia, and one of the highest in the United States. Each year as funding is available, CVNWR reaches out to local schools to recruit four to five members, between 15 and 18 years old, to participate during the summer months.
This year the crew consisted of Tyler Cooper of Davis, Aiden Hedrick of Elkins, Jared Johnson of Dry Fork, and Maddisan Starr of Dry Fork. The crew was led by a Student Conservation Association crew leader, Mat Cloak. Refuge staff are involved with each step of the way, incorporating work ethic, biological work, maintenance work, and public use. This way each YCC crew member knows more about CVNWR and what the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is.
Many of their projects were biological surveys, invasive plant removal, trail work, built 5 bridges on a trail, boardwalk rehab, servicing vehicles, removing fence posts, and creating plant signs for the native garden. Their signature project was completion of 300 foot of new trail, 10’ X 12’ overlook, and installation of split rail fence, which they stamped they name on it, YCC 2017. Come check it out it is located behind the visitor center.
Want to know more about this type of work and how you can get involved contact the Refuge for more information or check out our website, www.fws.gov/refuge/canaan_valley.
