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Location:
CONSERVATION COMPONENT: Lake Moomaw area of the George Washington National Forest in Alleghany County, VA
EDUCATION COMPONENT: Throughout Alleghany County, VA
Collaborators: The Alleghany Foundation, US Forest Service, Virginia Inland Game and Fisheries, community education volunteers, and students from the local community college
Funders: Bear Trust International, The Alleghany Foundation, The US Forest Service
Project Duration: 2008-2010
Overview of the Project:
Bear Trust is collaborating with the US Forest Service and the Virginia Game and Inland Fisheries to complete Phase II of our Adopt-a-Dumpster Program in the Lake Moomaw area of the George Washington National Forest in Alleghany County, Virginia. Our project addresses a timely conservation issue, provides innovative education opportunities for children, and fosters community participation.
Conservation Component
The conservation issue our project addresses is bear-human conflicts, which are significant and ongoing in Virginia generally, and in the Lake Moomaw area specifically. This area hosts over 25,000 recreation visitors annually and had experienced a dangerously sharp increase in the number of nuisance bear incidents during 2001-2007.
In 2007, The US Forest Service began the installation of wildlife-resistant containers in the Lake Moomaw area, but was unable to complete the project due to severe budget constraints. In early 2008, the Alleghany Foundation, Bear Trust International, and the US Forest Service pooled financial resources to implement Phase I of the Lake Moomaw Project. We successfully installed five 4-yard, bear-resistant dumpsters and we began an education program with the US Forest Service Education Coordinator.
Conservation Component: Phase II
During 2009, bear nuisance activity in the Lake Moomaw Area decreased dramatically. The bear-resistant dumpsters and education outreach was a success! However, bears still frequented areas where regular dumpsters (i.e., non bear-resistant dumpsters) exist. In particular, bears frequented Coles Point Beach where bear-resistant capability is still needed. Therefore, Phase II of the Lake Moomaw Project includes purchasing eight 32-gallon, bear-resistant containers and one 4-yard dumpster, to be placed in key areas where reducing bear nuisance behavior is particularly critical.
Education Component
Our original education goal for the Alleghany County Project was to develop online materials that incorporated bear biology and which discussed human responsibilities in bear habitat. We have since expanded the scope of the education goal to include lesson plans for children throughout Alleghany County based on wild bear research that Bear Trust is co-conducting in New Jersey. Our conservation and research project in New Jersey is in its third year; data and results will be available fall 2010 to incorporate into our new Education Programs for children in grades K-12. This Education Program is currently in development and will be available for free to educators and children in spring 2011. Click HERE to learn more about the Education Program.
In addition to providing Education Programs to children throughout Alleghany County, the Lake Moomaw Project includes education programs presented between 3-10 times weekly at the Morris Hill Campground.
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