Potomac Highlands

Why should it be a National Park?

Potomac Highlands is the geographic name given to a mountainous series of hills and valleys in eastern West Virginia. This area is often referred to as High Allegheny by locals, and Appalachia by outsiders.

West Virginia contains some of the most beautiful and distinct sections of the Appalachian Mountains. To protect this landscape, a push was made over the last decade to create a 'High Allegheny National Park and Preserve' to consolidate areas of the Monongahela National Forest and popular local state park lands into one park. The proposal would have unified a series of public lands across the eastern tail of the state and would have included forested hills, canyons, lowlands, swamps, and impressive rock outcroppings. These rugged hills are some of the best-preserved natural settings available close to major east coast cities. Former West Virginia Governor and current U.S. Senator Joe Manchin even called for the Department of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study into the idea. Sadly, this proposal was almost immediately framed as a 'war against hunters' by critics.

The perceived elimination of local access to the federal and state lands set off a firestorm of opposition to the park. The few people who live close to the potential park have been utilizing the land for generations, and the prevailing mindset is that anything done to change the management of the lands, even for long-term benefit, is ruinous. Rust belt and coal country communities have been hit especially hard economically over the last half-century, and the people who live here have largely hunkered down with a steadfast resistance to altering their customs or lifestyles.

There are two main issues locals have in opposition to the idea of a National Park in their backyard.

The first is anything limiting their ability to hunt or fish. It's important to note that the current state parks already ban hunting. Also, the proposed 'National Park and Preserve' was designed to allow hunting in major sections of it. National preserves allow activities that are not permitted in standard National Parks.

The second major concern is the logging that takes place in the Monongahela National Forest. This is a more apt criticism of a new park designation, as it would reshape the local economy. However, every one dollar spent on National Parks gives a ten-dollar return to the surrounding community. Americans love National Parks, and having West Virginia's first National Park designated here could transform the national perception of the state. Rather than slowly becoming a cautionary tale about declining industries and the removal of scenic hilltops, the Potomac Highlands region could be set aside to protect the unappreciated natural grandeur of West Virginia.

Friends of Blackwater, a West Virginia environmental group, campaigned to establish a 'High Allegheny National Park' around 2011. Senator Joe Manchin pushed for a feasibility study, but opposition from hunters seems to have been the end of this recent campaign.