September 18, 2025

Source: 

BAINBRIDGE, OH

Arc of Appalachia  937-365-1935 arcpreserveinfo@gmail.com
7660 Cave Rd, Bainbridge, Ohio, 45612 

A Legendary River Worth Protecting

Summary: The nonprofit Arc of Appalachia is announcing a new initiative to buy and preserve 1,336 acres on a five-mile shoreline of the Gauley River in West Virginia.

Craigsville, W.Va. - The Arc of Appalachia, a nonprofit land conservancy, has officially launched an initiative to buy and protect 1,336 acres and five miles of shoreline on the Gauley River of West Virginia - one of the most scenic and ecologically significant watersheds in the heartland of the Appalachian Mountains.  

The parcel lies upstream of Summersville Lake, the largest man-made lake in West Virginia. The site includes five miles of the Gauley River shoreline and one mile of Big Beaver Creek, a major tributary of the Gauley. The property is teeming with wildlife, including black bear, bobcat, coyote, wild turkey, mink, beaver, white-tailed deer, and a high diversity of salamanders – a benchmark indicator of a healthy forest. Other species that are especially notable include the green salamander, eastern hellbender, and the federally endangered candy darter.

The Five Miles on the Gauley project will also protect a rare habitat along the frequently-flooded cobble zone of the Gauley known as Riverscour, a vanishing plant community native to the Eastern third of our nation that shelters a large number of unique, imperiled species.

The project is part of a broader effort to expand forest and river preservation in West Virginia that, in turn, supports the state’s outdoor recreation industry. Nicknamed the “Beast of the East,” downstream of the property and Summersville Dam, the Gauley River is considered to be one of the top ten whitewater rafting destinations in the world.

Outdoor recreation is a major economic driver for the state. In 2023, the Outdoor Industry Association reported that the sector supported 91,000 jobs in West Virginia and generated $660 million in state and local tax revenue.

The project aims to mitigate growing perils that threaten our country’s Eastern waterways. The nonprofit American Rivers listed the Gauley River as one of the most endangered rivers of 2025 due to sediment and heavy metal loads being released into the watershed. The Five Miles on the Gauley endeavor seeks to protect and enhance the water quality of a river renowned for its high scenic, recreational, and biological values.

The Arc is seeking to raise $3.6 million to complete the acquisition of the land. As of September 9, 2025, the campaign has raised $1.6 million to date — 44% of the goal. These funds will secure permanent protection of the property and ensure its ongoing care through land stewardship. Nancy Stranahan, Director of the Arc of Appalachia, conveys, “We hope buying Five Miles on the Gauley will just be the beginning of forest protection projects of even greater scale in West Virginia.”

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Written by: Faye Wooden

Outreach & Development Coordinator

Contact: faye.arcofappalachia@gmail.com

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For additional information and campaign progress, visit Five Miles on the Gauley campaign site at https://www.arcofappalachia.org/5-miles-on-the-gauley

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About the Arc of Appalachia

For the past thirty years, the Arc of Appalachia has advanced its wildlands preservation mission. Headquartered in Highland County, Ohio, the nonprofit has protected and currently manages 36 preserve regions in eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, and Appalachian Ohio. It also stewards 90 miles of public trail and hosts a large number of nature-literacy workshops and courses annually. With a strong community of staff, supporters, and volunteers, the Arc is committed to saving the most intact forest communities remaining in the Appalachian heartland. https://www.arcofappalachia.org/.

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