August-September 2012

August-September 2012
Timberdoodle
Newsletter of the Friends of Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
~ the Nation’s 500th
President’s Message by Julie Dzaack
The first of two American Hiking Society crews have
been here working on Refuge trails; they built footbridges
along the trails near Sand Run and Glade Run. They were
excited to learn about the special qualities of Canaan
Valley – and they admired the scenery but added, “I guess you are used to it.” Used to it? After living here fulltime for over 28 years, I certainly am accustomed to it.
But I never tire of it, nor take it for granted. Each season
and each transition of the Friends and of the Refuge staff
assures that.
Summer is well on its way to fall – the county roadsides
and Refuge trails are bursting with wildflowers: Queen
Anne’s Lace, Black-eyed Susan, Chicory, Viper’s Bugloss, Birds Foot Trefoil, Joe-Pye Weed and more. All beautiful!
The Friends continue to grow–in membership, in
volunteer hours, in bookstore inventory, in donations, and
in grant funding. This growth and the desire of the board
members to provide effective and accountable leadership
as we serve Friends members and the Refuge has made
for a busy and challenging tenure as president and for
well-seasoned board members. We have revised our
bylaws, created policies and procedures to help guide our
actions, sought advice on insurance and accounting… The business of doing business is important, but not quite as
gratifying as helping with biology surveys or leading
educational programs. We are fortunate to have had such
an experienced and dedicated board to work through
these “business” needs. There will be a big turnover for 2013. Now is your opportunity to offer to serve on the
board–in any office or as a director-at-large.
Change marches forward at the Refuge. Jackie Burns will
have retired by the time you are reading this and
Jonathan Schafler is at home recovering from heart
surgery. Send a card: RR 4, Box 251-3, Elkins, WV 26241.
…stop and smell the flowers…
Call for Nominations
Meet New Friends
Join our Board of Directors!
We know you’re out there–you with your
crackerjack bookkeeping or organizational
skills. If you have a few hours to spare each
month doing meaningful work for the Friends
and the Refuge, we want to hear from you.
The Friends of the 500th are seeking members
to fill vacancies in the offices of
Vice President, Secretary, andTreasurer and
Director-at-Large to begin in November.
Candidates for President are also welcome.
All officers hold one-year terms and
directors-a- large serve three-year terms.
Requirements include a willingness to attend
monthly meetings, work on exciting projects of
your choice, and meet some fantastic new people.
For more information or to offer to serve
on the board, contact us at:
[email protected]
Election ballots for Board of Directors will be
mailed to members in the October-November
issue of the Timberdoodle.
Mark your calendar for the Friends
Annual Membership Meeting
Saturday, October 13.
Friends Board of Directors Meetings
are open to all Friends members. Join us on
Tuesdays, August 21 & September 18
at 1:00 p.m. at the Refuge Visitor Center
Timberdoodle is printed on 100% recycled paper
Refuge News
Block Party 2012 a Success
by Dawn Washington
On Saturday, June 16, 2012 over 400 visitors attended
Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge’s day-long biennial
Neighborhood Block Party. The day began with a nature
walk led by refuge biologists. This walk guided visitors
through Refuge grasslands, wetlands, and forests, and even
included a balsam fir swamp and red spruce forest. The day
continued with tours focused on refuge management and the
Refuge’s maintenance facility. Exhibits representing local, state, and nationally focused
non-profit groups included the Wild Turkey Federation,
Ruffed Grouse Society, the Sierra Club, Tucker County
Convention and Visitors Bureau, Canaan Valley Institute,
Friends of the 500th, Cortland Acres, North Fork Watershed
Project, Heart of the Highlands Trail System, and Canaan
Valley Fire Department. These groups not only offered great
information about their organizations but provided fun
activities for kids and adults alike. Tucker County High
School brought end-of-season plants and produce grown in
their greenhouse facility and offered for a donation to the
greenhouse project.
State and federal representatives and colleagues from West
Virginia Division of Natural Resources, the Central
Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative, FWS Partners
Program, and Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge
also helped make the event a success.
During the day visitors were treated to a live birds of prey
presentation by the West Virginia Raptor Rehabilitation
Center; live music by the popular local group, the
Jackie Burns is retiring from
the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
after 30 years of service.
Ginsangers; and a portrayal of historical figure Porte Crayon
by Don Teter. Families were able to try their hand at archery,
paint a wildlife habitats mural, and play nature games.
A formal ceremony was organized during the Block Party to
recognize the founders of the Refuge, whose love of nature,
contribution of time and effort, and defense of the Canaan
Valley led to the creation of Canaan Valley National Wildlife
Refuge in the early 1990s.
Jonathan Schafler, Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
manager, acknowledged the founders for their efforts to save
the Valley from flooding under the Davis Power Project, a
project that would have inundated 7,200 acres of the Valley
for a hydroelectric pump-storage power facility.
During the ceremonies Schafler also introduced John Messer
as the first “Canaan Valley Restoration Leader”. The Canaan Valley Restoration Leader program was started under the
America’s Great Outdoors Initiative. Messer is a local Tucker County High School student working as a summer intern at
Canaan Valley NWR. He was selected to participate in red
spruce habitat restoration projects with refuge staff this
summer. At the end of the summer, Messer will present what
he has learned to other students and teachers and work to
assist them with the high school’s greenhouse program to grow native plants and assist local agencies with restoration
projects. Funds to support the Canaan Valley Restoration
leader program were provided through a USFWS
Connecting People to Nature grant.
.
There will be not one but two chances to celebrate Jackie's retirement and
the beginning of a new chapter in her life. The first will be Friday, August
17th, beginning at 4:00 p.m. at the Canaan Valley State Park Resort and
Conference Center. This will be a BBQ Buffet in the Canaan Valley Lodge
Dining Room. The cost of the buffet will be $18/person (including
gratuity) payable at the time of the dinner. There will be a ceremony after
the dinner to celebrate with Jackie.
The second will be Saturday, August 18th, beginning a 3:00 p.m. at the
home of Bruce and Andy Dalton in Timberline Housing
Development. This will be a potluck dinner/picnic.
If you would like to attend one or both of the celebrations-or if you have
any stories or photos to share send-please RSVP by August 9th to B.J.
Feather ([email protected]) or Richard Zane ([email protected] )
or call 304-866-3858. For more information or directions please contact BJ
or Richard.
August-September 2012 | Timberdoodle | page 2
Some of those honored as founding members of
the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
were recognized during the Block Party.
Refuge Manager, Jonathan
Schafler, unveiling the plaque to
be placed at the Founders
Overlook on A-Frame Road.
A member of the
Canaan Valley
Alliance–a
conservation
organization formed
in the early 1970’s
to oppose the Davis
Power Project–
shows off some of
memorabilia from
the organization’s
collection.
Biologist Marquette Crockett
led an early morning nature
walk on a newly-acquired
tract of Refuge property.
David Hunter Strother (aka Don Teter)
told the crowd of the early days of
exploration in the Canaan and
Blackwater country.
The Friends of the 500th conducted a
successful silent auction to raise funds
for educational programs on the Refuge.
August-September 2012 | Timberdoodle | page 3
Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge Receives
National Conservation Training Center Grant
Connecting People with Nature
Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge (CVNWR) was recently selected as an America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) site. As an AGO site and an active member in the multi-agency Central Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative, the Refuge is
working with local, state and federal agencies, and partners to conserve and manage public lands in this region in order
to more thoughtfully improve their natural and recreational value.
West Virginia, in particular the Central Appalachians, is home to one of the most biologically diverse temperate
broadleaf forests on Earth and consists of some of the largest intact forest blocks in the eastern United States. The red
spruce forests on the Refuge and in West Virginia were decimated between the 1880's and 1920. More than 90% of the
original spruce forests in the state have been logged and are in various stages of recovery. The Refuge has been working
through partnerships to restore the extent and ecological function of red spruce forests in the state for over six years.
Tucker County, the home of CVNWR, is made up of almost 50% of public lands and while the area’s natural attributes are positive community assets, the county, with a population of 7,141, has been assigned an economic status rating of “At Risk” by the Appalachian Regional Commission. The area has experienced population declines due to the chronic outmigration of working age adults; school funding has suffered as a consequence. The local school system faces constant
challenges for funding for even the most basic supplies for teaching science curricula.
In 2010, Tucker County High School received a grant from the Monongahela National Forest to build a greenhouse for
growing native plants, with a focus on red spruce and balsam fir, and an adjacent classroom. Unfortunately only a
portion of the project was funded. Despite the shortfall, students, faculty, and community members moved ahead,
combining their efforts to erect the facility – under budget and ahead of schedule.
CVNWR recognized the opportunity to help and took advantage of a US Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Conservation Training Center Youth Funding Initiative Grants request for application. Projects had to have an
environmental education component in order to successfully compete for this funding.
Awards were recently announced for this funding stream which supports the USFWS Connecting People with Nature
priority and the DOI's Youth in the Great Outdoors Initiative. CVNWR’s proposal–Cultivating Conservation Connections at
Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge–was successful. The application emphasized the key tenants of the funding, which
includes engaging, educating and employing youth. The grant funds will provide Tucker County High School with
funding to purchase supplies to begin growing red spruce and balsam fir which will aid the Refuge with forest
restoration efforts. It will also provide for two field trips: one to a local greenhouse and one to the Refuge to participate in
planting red spruce. These trips will connect the students to “backyard” conservation and educate them on available conservation jobs from local, state, federal and non-governmental organizations.
In addition, one student will be hired for the summer to learn about the
Refuge, the restoration process, and how it fits into a larger landscape
conservation effort. This student will develop and present a program on
his/her experience working on the Refuge to his/her peers, the community
and the Tucker County Board of Education. This student will also serve as
liaison to other students working on the project. The connections made
between the Refuge and the local educational community during this
project will serve as the basis for the Refuge to begin the Canaan Valley
Restoration Leaders program and to continue to work to encourage future
partnerships.
Please join our Tucker County High School student
intern, John Messer, on September 7 at 6:00 PM at
the Refuge Visitor Center as he tells about his
experience working on the Refuge this summer.
TCHS students planting red spruce in April
August-September 2012 | Timberdoodle | page 4
Getting Acquainted:
a semi-regular feature on staff and volunteers at CVNWR
by Elaine George, Volunteer
This is the first Getting Acquainted article about someone other than a Refuge staff member. Membership
records for the Friends of the 500th go back to 1997. There are sixteen people who were paid members in
1997 who are also paid members in 2012 – and for most of the years in between. Several of those members
have also been active volunteers for the Friends and the Refuge. Bill Hibbard is one of the longest serving
volunteers for the Friends of the 500th at Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. He started volunteering
on the Refuge in 1997 (before there was an office in the Valley) and he helped set up the Friends Bookstore
in 2000 when the Refuge office was established at its present location in the Valley (known to some as the
former Oriskany Inn).
Canaan Valley.
Bill might be our only World War II veteran, having
served in the Navy as an Electronics Technician's
Mate on the USS Argonne. After the Navy, he
earned his Electrical Engineering degree from Ohio
University and began working at the Naval
Ordnance Lab in White Oak, MD. In 1961, he
moved to NASA from which he retired in 1995.
In addition to CVNWR, Bill is a regular volunteer
at C&O Canal National Park and Walkersville
Southern Scenic Railroad. He has also spent
volunteer summers at Apostle Islands National
Lakeshore and Voyagers National Park. When he
is not volunteering – and sometimes when he is –
he enjoys camping, backpacking, hiking, canoeing,
singing (barbershop or choir) and acting.
Bill, like many of our volunteers and Friends'
members, worked in the Washington, DC area
(WMA – Washington Metropolitan Area –
according to Bill) before retiring. He now splits
his time between homes in Maryland and
Bill Hibbard
Friends Member & Volunteer since 1997
CANAAN VALLEY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IS NOW ON FACEBOOK.
IF YOU'RE A FAN OF THE REFUGE, ITS PROGRAMS, EVENTS, AND MISSION
WE'D "LIKE" TO HEAR FROM YOU. WE'LL BE POSTING, SHARING, AND
PROVIDING COMMENTS TO ALL OUR FRIENDS BOTH NEAR AND FAR. FIND
US ON FACEBOOK AT FACEBOOK.COM/CANAANVALLEYNWR FOR THE
LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES.
August-September 2012 | Timberdoodle | page 5
Plants & Pollinators —
The Miracles of Adaptation
By Luanne Bowers, Master Naturalist
To study the relationship between plants and their
pollinators is to be constantly amazed at how nearly
perfect are their mechanisms for procreation. Every
plant, it seems, has its favorite pollinator and does
everything within its power to invite, trick or force
the relationship to flourish. The plant needs pollen
moved and the pollinator needs food. As simple as
this may seem, plants go to great lengths to make
sure it happens.
Even more fascinating is the concept that some insects
see colors in the ultraviolet spectrum which is invisible
to us. Pictures taken with special lenses to reveal this
range show an insect-eye’s version in which the “pointers” are even more vivid. Dandelions, for example, have large “red” centers with white around the edges. Yellow-to-us marsh marigolds are deep
purple with blue edges to some insects.
Consider the lowly skunk cabbage, for example. It’s considered the first flower of spring (even though it
doesn’t fit the popular image of a “flower”) and blooms before most usual pollinators such as bees
and hummingbirds become active. It solves this
problem by providing an odor (some might say
stench) that invites carrion eaters to dine. The smell
and red color fool flies and carrion beetles into
thinking they’ve found a dead and thawing animal. Red trilliums and wild ginger use a similar process a
little later in spring. Skunk cabbage also attracts
insects by heat from a process called thermogenesis
in which the plant produces its own warmth. If you
spy skunk cabbage growing during a late winter
walk, notice that snow may be melted immediately
around the plant. Look closely and you may see an
insect – even an early scouting honey bee – huddled
inside the spathe.
Scent (as opposed to the “stench” of the skunk cabbage) is another attractant to pollinators. Night
blooming flowers in particular use this to their
advantage, often having a sweet, musky or fruity
smell. Examples are moon flower and evening
primrose. Some blooms such as yucca and nicotiana
open in the daytime but intensify their scents at night.
Moths and some species of bats find these irresistible.
Color is one of the more obvious features that attract
pollinators to flowers. We’ve all heard that hummingbirds love red. Other pollinators seem to
have a preference for violet shades, and still others
flit from one thing to another that looks interesting.
Yellow and white flowers have been described as the
most “democratic” of flowers, willing to be pollinated by a wide variety of insects. If you think
about it, you realize that yellow and white flowers
don’t usually have complicated shapes or unusual positions. They open their faces to just about anyone.
(Think daisies and buttercups.)
Lady’s slippers make an interesting use of their shape. The sac-like labellum, veins in the petals, and
sometimes long sepals help insects find the opening
in the flower. Once inside however, it’s difficult for the insect to get back out that way. Instead, the
chamber is lined with hairs that lean toward an
opening in the rear of the flower. As the insect exits
that way, it rubs against the stigma and anthers,
resulting in pollination.
Color combinations within flowers have sometimes
morphed into “highways’” often called nectar guides or bee guides. Veining in such flowers as blue flag
irises and the white rays of daisies serve to “point” to where the good stuff is and invite pollinators in.
Shape is a very obvious way in which plants attract
the pollinators they want, while prohibiting or
discouraging the free-loaders who are of no benefit to
them. Tubular flowers are pollinated by
hummingbirds who have bills long enough to reach
the nectar at the bottom of the flower while being
“sprinkled” with pollen in the process. Dangling flowers encourage bees and hummingbirds while
prohibiting crawling insects and protecting pollen
and nectar from rain and dew.
The source of much of the information in this article
comes from the book “The Secrets of Wildflowers – A
Delightful Feast of Little-Known Facts, Folklore, and
History” by Jack Sanders. It’s a fascinating read that I highly recommend. In fact I’ve learned so much about my subject that I can’t contain it all in one article, so stay tuned for more in a future edition of
Timberdoodle.
August-September 2012 | Timberdoodle | page 6
The Nose of the Bird
by Casey Rucker, Volunteer
Our sense of smell is our cognitive
link to the world of chemistry. We
humans have middling noses;
most of us are aware that dogs, for
instance, have far more developed
noses than we have. In contrast,
until just 50 or 60 years ago
scientists belittled the olfactory
senses of birds. 19th century artist
and naturalist John James
Audubon famously demonstrated
that Black Vultures did not
approach carrion that Audubon
had hidden in a bag, but were
drawn to the same carrion without
the bag. He concluded that the
birds had no sense of smell.
New studies have shown not only
that some birds have a highlydeveloped olfactory sense, but
that smell may play a crucial role
in birds’ foraging, breeding and other behavior.
In mammals as well as birds, the
part of the brain that processes
perceptions of smell is called the
olfactory bulb. In birds, the
olfactory bulbs are generally much
smaller proportionally than those
of mammals, and the smaller size
led scientists to consider birds’ sense of smell a poor third to those
of sight and hearing.
Audubon turns out to have picked
the wrong vulture to test. In
contrast to Black Vultures, Turkey
Vultures have a keen sense of
smell, as studies during the 1960s
demonstrated when those vultures
were attracted to carrion with all
sensory clues eliminated except
for the olfactory ones. Their sense
of smell is even used by gas
pipeline maintenance workers, as
the vultures are drawn to the gas
additive ethyl mercaptan, which
smells like carrion. Circling Turkey
Vultures identify a gas leak.
Certain seabirds, known as
“tubenoses” for the tube-shaped
glands above their bills that
enables them to drink heavilysaline seawater, have been
discovered to search out their prey
through their sense of smell. These
birds, including albatrosses and
storm-petrels, hunt over vast
tracts of open water. Their sense of
smell enables them to find tiny
krill (better known to comic-book
readers. as sea monkeys) by
detecting dimethylsulfide, a gas
the krill produce when they eat
phytoplankton. These birds seem
to be able to perceive an olfactory
landscape above the sea, letting
them know the location of food
below the surface.
Among the birds most famous for
their sense of smell are the kiwis,
flightless birds from New
Zealand. All species of kiwi have
nostrils at the end of their bills
that function as olfactory
periscopes to smell out food as
they probe the earth for grubs,
worms and other invertebrates.
Another recent study monitored the
odor profiles of preen oil in Darkeyed Juncos in California. Birds
produce preen oil in their uropygial
glands, located at the base of the tail,
and use the oil to keep their feathers
healthy. Individual juncos had
unique odor profiles for their preen
oil, and could use the smell of the oil
to tell juncos from members of other
bird species, and one junco from
another. The study also found that
male and female juncos had very
different odor profiles from one
another, as did birds in two
geographically separate populations.
“Their sense of smell is even used
by gas pipeline maintenance
workers, as the vultures are
drawn to the gas additive ethyl
mercaptan, which smells like
carrion. Circling Turkey Vultures
identify a gas leak.”
The study of juncos may indicate
that the birds use smell to
determine whether an individual is
a desirable breeding partner. If so,
then smell may be a key factor in
the reproductive isolation of a
particular bird population that
leads to formation of a new species.
Different species of bird differ in
the development and use of their
olfactory senses. No doubt many
bird species do not have a highlydeveloped sense of smell, and
have adapted to manage without
it. But as more scientists study
avian olfaction, they are finding
that it plays a much larger role,
both genetically and behaviorally,
than was imagined just a few
years ago. As our knowledge of
bird life expands, it’s a pleasure to learn that many birds not only
have beaks, they have noses.
August-September 2012 | Timberdoodle | page 7
Refuge Storytime,
presented the second Friday of
each month at 10 am, continues
to grow in popularity. In June,
a second session was added at
12:30 pm to accommodate the
increasing numbers of kids
attending. August's program
will be on butterflies. A special
thanks to Refuge volunteers
and Master Naturalists
Elizabeth Hole and Sarah
Myers for developing and
delivering these programs for
pre-school aged children.
(BTW, the parents seem to like
Refuge Storytime too!)
Friends receive grant to create
website and social media
connections!
We recently received the good news that
another one of our grant applications was
successful. This one – to create a website and
join the world of 21st century technology and
media that many of our members rely upon.
Reprinted from the White Grass website, this
provides a great snapshot view of a being a founder
of the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge!
Chip attended the 2012 Block Party and was
among those honored by the Refuge.
Laurie Little (my wife) and I were among some of the original local
supporters that took time to learn some of the facts and then attend
meetings to speak in front of the county commissioners and others.
We pulled our White Grass business in with us and kept the pressure
on with the help of Linda Cooper and others as we focused on our local
government officials...after less than a year we had convinced one of
the members who was riding the fence and then a majority vote fell in
our favor. After that the path was open for the higher ups to swoop in
and get some land purchased and get started with the Refuge. We also
created a very warm and supportive personal atmosphere for the
officials that were from various support organizations that were
attending local meetings and having to experience a basic negative
response from many that attended and spoke. It was key to have us
there at every corner and for us to repeatedly get up and spout off the
many reasons we felt supporting the idea of a local Refuge made
fantastic sense. Timing is everything, and we happened to be at the
right place at the right time–yet much credit goes to the hard working
Friends group that has continued to support the Canaan Refuge
through all the bumps and high spots. We are original members of this
crew and they continue to grow and prosper as we speak! Cheers!
Chip Chase – co-owner/operator of White Grass Ski Touring Center
We hope to do things like:
 expand communications to current and
potential members and to the general public
receive membership dues and donations
electronically
increase membership and active volunteers
provide updates on public program
opportunities and volunteer needs
make our archive of Friends Timberdoodles and
meeting minutes accessible
provide photographic tours of the Refuge by
using some of the great stockpile of quality
photos
What would you like to see on the
Friends of the 500th website??
Perhaps you’d like to help develop ideas and content?
Maybe you build professional websites
in your spare time ?
Be in touch!
[email protected]
Remember to check out photos from
Canaan Valley and many other national
wildlife refuges at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwsnortheast/
August-September 2012 | Timberdoodle | page 8
Kids Cache
A column dedicated to teaching kids about the treasures stored in nature.
Pine Trees
Written by Ken Dzaack
Pinaceae (the pine family) includes trees or shrubs, including many of the
well-known conifers such as cedars, firs, hemlocks, larches, pines and spruces.
Sometimes we have a tendency to
simplify things which can lead to
confusion and mistakes in naming
plants correctly. For instance,
sometimes we call all trees with
needle-like leaves “Pine Trees”. But, at least in Canaan Valley, there
are several trees with needle-like
leaves that are in the pine family but
are not in the pine genus. Three of
these are native species, and
common on the Canaan Valley
National Wildlife Refuge: the Red
Spruce (Picea rubens), the Eastern
Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), and the
Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea). Once
you get to know them they are
pretty easy to identify correctly.
One of the first things you need to
know is where these three trees like
to grow. All of them like the same
type of conditions, so it is easy to
remember this; they like cool, moist
areas the best. Canaan Valley is a
good place for them because of the
swampy areas and the cool, wet,
mountain hollows. These trees can
often be found sprouting on rotting
logs and stumps. You may find one
of these trees that appears to be
standing on several legs; this could
be because the large stump that it
sprouted on has completely rotted
away.
The Red Spruce, Eastern Hemlock
and Balsam Fir all have evergreen
needles, but the needles and their
position on the branches are
different. Balsam Fir needles are
between ¾ and 1 ½ inches long.
They have blunt tips and two
silvery lines on the underside. The
needles are dark shiny green and
appear to be growing all around
the branch, but look closely because
they are really in two rows. The
Eastern Hemlock has short stiff
needles ¼ to ¾ inch long. These flat
needles are dark blue-green with
two white lines on the underside. If
you look at a hemlock branch, with
the needles on it, it actually looks
flattened. The Red Spruce needles
grow all around the branch,
making it look like a bottle brush.
The needles are short, about ½ inch,
and sharp. They have a dark green
color and are four sided.
Each of these trees has a different
cone and cone position on the
branch. The easiest of these to
remember is the Balsam Fir cone.
This cone is dark purplish in color,
cylindrical in shape and between 2
and 4 inches long. It’s easy to remember because it sits upright on
the branch, like a candle, not
hanging down like an apple.
Eastern Hemlock cones are small, ½
to ¾ of an inch long, and hang from
the ends of the branches. The cones
of the Red Spruce are 1 ¼ to 2
inches long and hang under the
branch, too. All of these cones have
two winged seeds in each scale.
Each of these trees has played a
role in the natural and cultural
history of Canaan Valley. The
Eastern Hemlock was harvested in
the logging boom era for its bark,
which was used in the tanning of
leather, and for its wood, which
was used as cheap building lumber
in the logging camps. While often
credited with being the reason for
the logging boom in this area, Red
Spruce was not the most sought
after tree to begin with. This
changed as new markets became
available – for ship masts and fine
acoustic instruments like pianos and soon the Red Spruce was the
tree that made West Virginia’s timber reputation. Harvesting both
of these species opened up vast
areas of Canaan Valley; some of the
old logging railroad grades are still
used today as trails or present day
road routes. The area continues to
recover from the effects of the
logging which took place about 100
years ago. The Balsam Fir took
another path to notoriety. In
Canaan Valley, its cones are
gathered for seeds to grow the
Canaan Fir – an ecotype of the
Balsam Fir – that is used for
Christmas trees. Balsam Fir is
currently being studied by refuge
biologists to monitor the effects of
deer browsing and the balsam
wooly adelgid, an insect. It is
uncertain if the species can survive
in Canaan Valley in the face of this
two-way threat.
“To plant a pine, for example, one need be neither god nor poet; one
need only own a shovel” – Aldo
Leopold, A Sand County Almanac.
August-September 2012 | Timberdoodle | page 9
Bookstore Highlights: by Elaine George, Bookstore Co-manager
The Friends of the 500th and Bookstore thank all who donated items to or helped with the silent
auction at the 2012 CVNWR Block Party. In addition to photos from our 2010 and 2011 Photo
Contests, we auctioned fine crafts donated by Jackie Burns, Carolyn Cavendish, Sarah Fletcher,
Nancy Lesher, Val Mayor, Robin McClintock, Sarah Myers, Nate Parr and Suzanne Ross.
$1100 was raised for the Friends to support educational projects on the Refuge .
New Items Now Available at the Bookstore
↬ Ramblin' Outdoors: A Favorite Selection of Wildlife Stories from the Woods and Waters
This is the first book by Bob
Fala, newly retired wildlife biologist for the WV DEP. It features 39 varied accounts on hunting, fishing and wildlife reestablishment. Many of the real-life anecdotes are set in Canaan Valley where Bob has a “deer camp” at Deerfield Village. ↬ Tale of the Elk A hardback compilation of articles written by W.E.R Byrne and published in West Virginia
Wild Life Magazine from 1927 to 1931 features 464 pages of fishing the Elk River from its head in Pocahontas
County to it mouth in Charleston.
↬ Hand-carved walking sticks by Vienna, WV craftsman Nate Parr. Nate has carved a salamander into the top
of each rhododendron staff in addition to his trademark old man's face.
↬ 2013 Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge Calendar. Last, but definitely not least, the 2013 calendar is now
in stock. Joe Henry's haunting winter landscape sets the bar for the twelve photographs by Mark Anderson, Ken
Sturm, Ched Bradley, Frank Ceravalo, Randy Sanger, Neale Blackwood and David Skoog which follow.
Upcoming Events
↬ Author Bob Fala will be at CVNWR Visitor Center on Saturday, August 11 at 7 pm to discuss the hunting, fishing,
Canaan Valley and his book, Ramblin' Outdoors: A Favorite Selection of Wildlife Stories from the Woods and Waters.
↬ The documentary film "Green Fire" about pioneering environmentalist Aldo Leopold will be featured during
the September Valley Vibes event at the CVNWR Visitor Center on Saturday, September 15 at 7 pm. Leopold’s
seminal work, A Sand County Almanac , is in stock in the Bookstore.
Refuge Visitor Center numbers are already well ahead of 2011. Last
May we welcomed 404 folks through our doors. This May there were
735 who came for events, environmental education programs, as
casual stop-ins, and for return visits. Bookstore sales were also brisk
in May with an increase of $2,000 in sales over the previous year.
The Visitor Center & Friends Bookstore at the Refuge
is open seven days a week, 10 am-4 pm,
Memorial Day through Labor Day, and 10 am-4 pm,
Wednesday through Saturday, at other times during the year.
Friends member & bookstore volunteer,
Karen Watson, greets a visitor and shares
map information.
To accomplish this volunteers are needed to staff the Visitor
Center desk; operate the cash register; provide information
about Refuge trails, events, and programs; and generally share
their knowledge of the area and what the Refuge has to offer.
Volunteers are critical for allowing the Refuge to have the
Visitor Center open.
Are you interested in helping out?
Call 304.866.3858 or stop by and talk to Cindy.
August-September 2012 | Timberdoodle | page10
Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Friends of the 500th
2012 PHOTO CONTEST
Share the beauty of Canaan Valley by entering the
4th Annual Photo Contest.
Entry Info:
Entries may be submitted from
July 1, 2012 to October 8, 2012.
Entries may be dropped off at the
Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
headquarters on Rt. 32 in or mailed to
Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
6263 Appalachian Highway,
Davis, WV 26260.
For entry requirements, rules and entry
forms, please visit,
www.fws.gov/canaanvalley and click on
“2012 Photo Contest.”
2011 Best of Show Winner: Canaan
Gold Finch by Lauren Peeler Brice
Entry divisions are Adult (18 years and up), Youth (17 years and under) and
Professional. Adult photographers may submit up to two photographs in four
categories including: Native Wildlife, Native Plants & Wildflowers, Canaan Valley
Scenery, and Artistic. Professional photographers may submit up to two
photographs into a separate Professional category. Youth may submit up to five
photographs. The Adult or Professional entry fee is $5 per photo or 8 for $30. There
is no fee for Youth entries.
All entries must be photographs taken at CVNWR and the surrounding Canaan Valley
area within the last five years. Photos cannot be re-entered from previous years.
Awards will be presented at a free reception on October 20, 2012 and will include
cash prizes, ribbons and a grand prize.
For additional information, contact Marilyn Shoenfeld at (304) 866-3484
The Friends of the 500
Tucker County Highlands
History & Education Project
th
Our Mission Statement
th
The Friends of the 500 is a nonprofit citizens group formed in 1996
to support the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, our Nation’s th
500 National Wildlife Refuge. The Friends mission is:
A Friends of the 500th Committee
Mission: To collect, document and preserve oral histories augmented
by other historical research as necessary, to chronicle the cultural and
natural history of the Tucker County Highlands, making these
accounts accessible to the public to encourage interest and education
in our heritage.
 To preserve and promote awareness of the Canaan Valley

2012 Board of Directors
Andy Dalton
Bruce Dalton
Elaine George
Dave Lesher, Chair
Dave Miller
Chuck Nichols
Cindy Phillips
National Wildlife Refuge and to conserve the unique natural and
cultural resources contained therein, while promoting nature
oriented education.
To enlist volunteers, sponsor special events, and provide public
involvement in decision making as it relates to the preservation
and appreciation of the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
Membership Categories – circle one
Use this form to join the Friends of the 500th
All categories of membership receive the Friends’ newsletter, Timberdoodle, six times a year.
Membership year is January - December
Student (under 18 years of age)……………………….. Free
Individual …………………………………………....$10.00
Family …………………………………….……….....$20.00
Woodcock ……………………………….…………$50.00
Centennial ……………….……………….………..$100.00
Patron ……………………………………..………$250.00
500’er ……………………………………..……….$500.00
Additional donation ……………………….…….$ ______
Visit these websites for information about visiting
Canaan Valley and its National Wildlife Refuge
www.fws.gov/canaanvalley/
Information on Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
http://canaanvalley.org/
Information from Tucker County Convention & Visitors Bureau
www.nws.noaa.gov/
Enter zip code 26260 for local weather forecast
www.transportation.wv.gov/highways/traffic/Pages/roadconditions.aspx
Current road conditions in WV
www.fsvisimages.com/fstemplate.aspx?site=DOSO1
USFS webcam of Canaan Valley & Dolly Sods
http://parsonsadvocate.com/
Tucker County's only newspaper
www.visitcanaan.com/
Trail maps and other Canaan Valley area information
http://waterwatch.usgs.gov/?m=real&r=wv
Real-time and historical stream flow data for WV
Total amount enclosed: $ ______
Please Print
NAME:
ADDRESS:
CITY,STATE
ZIP
TELEPHONE
EMAIL
Mail Checks Payable to: Friends of the 500th
PO Box 422 Davis, WV 26260
August-September 2012|Timberdoodle | page 12
Chronicles of the Tucker County Highlands History and Education Project
A project supported by the Friends of the 500th, the volunteer organization of the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
No. 44
August 2012
Canaan Valley, West Virginia
Recalling the Town’s Dreams and Din of Industry
An Exhibit of Reflections on the Early Decades in Davis
Elaine George
·
Dave Lesher
·
Cindy Phillips
In the past few months, an exhibit of eighteen scenes from the early years of the Town of Davis has been on
display at several venues in and around the local area. The exhibit was produced by members of the Tucker
County Highlands History and Education Project, a committee of the Friends of the 500th, and was funded
through a grant from the West Virginia Humanities Council. Each of the photos in the exhibit is
accompanied by a narrative that provides a historical context for the scene and how it reveals some aspect of
the culture of the town in its early years. Two complete copies of the exhibit have been produced, enabling it
to be seen in a variety of locations in Davis, Thomas and Canaan Valley. The grant application, selection of
photos, writing narratives and selecting and setting up display sites were jointly worked by the authors.
The photos and text that follow here are only a portion of the exhibit. The full exhibit will be on display at
the Refuge Visitor Center in Canaan Valley through mid-October and again after January 1.
The Town of Davis is named
Courtesy of Ruth Cooper Allman
after Henry Gassaway Davis,
the industrialist and U.S.
senator who had visions of
developing West Virginia’s
vast timber and coal
resources. He purchased
thousands of acres of land
here in the 1870s and built a
57-mile railroad from
Piedmont, West Virginia to the
site of the town he named
after himself. This photo of the
new and roughhewn was
taken in 1883, a year before
Davis’s West Virginia Central
and Pittsburg Railroad arrived.
In the years that followed, the more than 25,000 acres of land owned by Davis and the coal and timber it contained made a
fortune for Davis and his brothers, Thomas and William.
Even while Davis was still little more than a clearing in the forest with a scattering of new buildings, the railroad began
regularly scheduled service in 1885. News of the new town and its close access to a mammoth tract of virgin timber quickly
brought new businesses. The first was Fayerweather and Ladew’s tannery built in 1885 which made use of the ample
supply of hemlock bark for the tanning process.
It produced finished leather for belts which were
a common part of machinery in a variety of
industries. At its peak, the tannery employed
300 people and processed 700 hides per day.
It was later sold to the United States Leather
Company who operated it until it closed in 1919.
The tannery was located on a tract of land to
the rear of where Grant County Bank sits today.
Courtesy of Sarah Thompson Fletcher and the late Dorothy Thompson
In addition to the importance of the railroad as a mode of transporation for people and as a means to bring in mail and supplies, it
also opened distant markets for local products. Of course, the lumber industry was its biggest customer. It has been estimated
that it required about 100,000 railroad cars to ship out the lumber and related wood products during the forty years of the lumber
industry. But other products were also
shipped including a variety of farm produce.
In this photo, sheep have been penned
awaiting shipment to market by rail. The pen
is located approximately where the Davis
Shop & Save and parking lot are located
today.
Courtesy of
Ruth Cooper Allman
Courtesy of Sarah Thompson Fletcher and the late Dorothy Thompson
Courtesy of
Ruth Cooper Allman
This photograph, around 1910,
shows the rapid growth that took
place since the town’s beginnings.
Signs of settlement and domesticity
quickly took hold despite the town’s
rough and tumble beginnings. Even
in the midst of the residential area,
livestock was kept to provide fresh
milk and eggs; note the cows and
chickens in the center of the photo.
For those living here, work was
readily available for anyone willing
and able to spend long hours at
grueling tasks. Immigrant families
built their own American dream at
the town’s lumber and pulp mills,
shops, businesses, and factories.
This particular photo shows one of
the town’s major employers, the pulp
and paper mill, looming in the
background. The street intersection
in the right foreground is probably
Third Street and Kent Avenue.
The Davis Opera House was
built near the corner of Henry
Avenue and Second Street
around 1895. It had a capacity
of 1,200 and offered
entertainment to the citizens of
town that included vaudeville,
minstrel shows and plays by
troupes of actors that would
comes to town for a week or ten
days. Graduation exercises for
local schools were also held
here. When silent movies
began after 1900, it was used
as a movie theater but the
building was dismantled
probably before “talkies”
appeared. Davis never had a
theater again and those seeking
that entertainment had to go to
the Sutton Theater in nearby
Thomas.
Courtesy of Ruth Cooper Allman
In 1907, the prosperous town of Davis was home to the first hospital in Tucker County. The building, at the corner of Henry
Avenue and Fourth Street, was originally a mansion built by Fairfax S. Landstreet, president of the Davis Coal & Coke
Company and member of the board of directors of the West Virginia Central and Pittsburg Railway. Landstreet and his family
moved to New York City in 1901 and the home was subsequently sold to two local physicians, Drs. Hardy and Hardwick who
converted it into a well-equipped hospital. Not long after that, the hospital was bought by Dr. Arthur Butt and he operated it for
the next decade. The hospital also offered a four-year nurse training
program including housing for students in a building adjacent to the
hospital. Dr. Butt closed the hospital in 1919 and moved to Elkins where
he operated the Elkins City Hospital until his death in 1936. The Tucker
County Hospital was established in Parsons in 1939, but it too
eventually closed its doors, succumbing to the decline in the
county’s population. Today, the nearest modern
medical clinic is in Thomas and those needing the
services of a major city hospital must
go to Elkins or Oakland,
Maryland.
TCHHEP
METHODIST
EPISCOPAL
CHURCH
SOUTH
ST. JOHN’S
LUTHERAN
CHURCH
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
METHODIST
EPISCOPAL
CHURCH
ALL PHOTOS: TCHHEP
ST. VERONICA’S
CATHOLIC
CHURCH
As soon as the railroad reached Davis and people began arriving looking for a job and a new home in this wilderness, there were
calls for a place to meet and worship. The Union Sunday School was organized by the tannery’s superintendent and his assistant
in 1886 and met in the railroad enginehouse. The superintendent was a Presbyterian and his assistant was Methodist. On
opposite corners of the intersection of Thomas Aveue and Fourth Street, work got underway on building Presbyterian and
Methodist Episcopal churches, both completed by the summer of 1887. St. John’s Lutheran and Longstreet Memorial Methodist
Episcopal Church South were completed in 1894. Soon, a building lot was obtained at the corner of Kent Avenue and Fifth Street
for the construction of a Roman Catholic Church. With much of the work of building the church done by parishioners. St.
Veronica’s was dedicated in 1897 by Bishop Patrick Donahue of Wheeling. Membership grew over the next decades due to the
immigration of workers from central and southern Europe, most of which were Roman Catholic. Of the five churches shown here,
three remain standing today, two of which are Lutheran and Methodist congregations.
Much more about the history of
Davis, Thomas and Canaan Valley
may be found at the Friends of the
500th bookstore and gift shop
located at the Canaan Valley
National Wildlife Refuge Visitor
Center on Route 32 in Canaan
Valley. The Visitor Center is open
seven days a week, 10 am-4 pm,
from Memorial Day through Labor
Day and Wednesday to Saturday,
10 am-4 pm, at other times during
the year.
TCHHEP
Calendar of Events
August 4: Summer Bird Walk, 7 am. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center. Wake up early and catch the sounds of summer. This walk will be
led by volunteer Casey Rucker. You’re sure to see something new. August 10: Refuge Story Hour: Butterflies, 10 am. Join us for this monthly series for pre-schoolers. This month’s topic is Butterflies and books will include The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We’ll look for butterflies using nets. August 11: Garden Tenders, 9 am - 1 pm. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center. Join us for a morning of camaraderie and volunteering in our
garden. Garden Tenders will meet the second Saturday of each month, April through November.
August 11: Meet the Author of Ramblin' Outdoors-Bob Fala, 7 pm. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center. Bob Fala is a retired WVDEP wildlife
biologist and a lifelong hunter/fisherman. Some of his most favorite haunts are the Tucker and Randolph County highlands. His new book
is a collection of stories about his experiences in the area. The program is free and light refreshments will be offered.
August 18: Valley Vibes: Summer on the Refuge, 7 pm. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center. This month our summer intern, Isaiah Adams,
will talk about Canaan Valley’s medicinal and edible plants. August 19: What's Blooming? 1 pm. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center. This walk will be led by our Master Naturalist volunteers.
September 2: What's Blooming? 1 pm. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center, led by Master Naturalist Volunteers. Seasonal changes are
taking place on the Refuge. Is there really anything blooming this month? Come with us to see.
September 7: Tucker County High School Greenhouse: A Growing Idea, 6 pm. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center. Summer intern John
Messer will present his experiences and impressions working this past summer at the Refuge. Messer is involved with the Tucker County
High School greenhouse project where plans are in the works to grow native plant material and trees for the Refuge's restoration projects.
September 8: Garden Tenders, 9 am - 1 pm. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center for a morning of camaraderie and volunteering in our
garden. Garden Tenders will meet the second Saturday of each month, April through November.
September 14: Refuge Story Hour: Crickets - 10 am - Join us for this monthly series for pre-schoolers. This month’s books will include Quick as a Cricket and Cricket Boy. We’ll catch and observe crickets using collecting nets and see them up close with magnifying glasses. September 15 and 16: Red Spruce Ecosystem Restoration, 9 am. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center as we continue our efforts to restore the
red spruce ecosystem in the West Virginia Highlands. Come dressed for the weather, wear sturdy shoes or boots and bring gloves. Lunch will
be provided. RSVP to Dave Saville at [email protected], or 304 692-8118. For more information, visit www.restoreredspruce.org.
September 15: Valley Vibes: Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for our Time, 7 pm. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center. This film
documents the personal journey of famous conservationist, Aldo Leopold, and how his influence permeates the modern-day conservation movement.
September 29: Migration Bird Walk, 7 am. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center. Set your alarm clock for this early morning bird walk with
Refuge volunteer Casey Rucker. Bring your binoculars--or borrow ours--and come along on this walk. You might be surprised what you
see! This program is offered as part of Leaf Peepers Celebration weekend.
September 29: Archery Open House, 1-3 pm. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center. Learn basic safety and archery shooting skills then try
your hand at some target practice at this afternoon event. This program is offered as part of Leaf Peepers Celebration weekend.
September 29: Canaan Valley and Dolly Sods Fall Color: Seasonal and Weather Transitions, 6 pm. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center.
Much of the beauty we observe at Dolly Sods and in the Canaan Valley region occurs at boundaries between plant ecosystems, weather
fronts, and seasons. Rapidly moving weather fronts produce stunning changes in the light. This program with photographer Joe Henry will
depict sequences of photos that bring these changes to life. This program is offered as part of Leaf Peepers Celebration weekend.
October 13: Annual Friends of the 500th Membership Meeting. Join us at 10 am at the Refuge Visitor Center to learn about the
projects and activities the Friends and the Refuge are involved in – our very own state of the union. It’s a great way to meet and support your board of directors and find a way to become actively involved with the Friends.
A potluck lunch and afternoon event will complete the day.
All events are free and are co-sponsored by the Friends of the 500th and the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
For walks: Please wear warm comfortable walking boots and dress for the weather. Unless otherwise stated, walks meet at the Refuge
Visitor Center to carpool to a Refuge trail. Binoculars may be borrowed during Refuge sponsored events.
Bring drinking water and enthusiasm!
Call 304-866-3858 for more information.
August-September 2012 | Timberdoodle | page 17
Inside This Issue of
Timberdoodle
Refuge News: Block Party a Success
Page 2 & 3
Getting Acquainted: Bill Hibbard
Page 5
Naturally Speaking: Plants & Pollinators
Page 6
The Nose of the Bird
Page 7
Kids Cache: Pine Trees
Page 9
2012 Photo Contest
Page 11
Chronicles of TCHHEP #44: Pictorial History of Davis
Page 13-16
Calendar of Events
Page 17
Friends of the 500th
2012 Board of Directors
Julie Dzaack, President
Bruce Dalton, Vice President
Dave Lesher, Treasurer
Andrea “Andy” Dalton, Secretary
Elaine George, Director-at-Large 2014
Sarah Fletcher, Director-at-Large 2013
Marilyn Shoenfeld, Director-at-Large 2013
Jaineay Brasselle, Director-at-Large 2012
Susan Moore, Director-at-Large 2012
Julie Dzaack, Timberdoodle Editor
The Friends of the 500th is a nonprofit corporation that supports the conservation and public use of Canaan Valley National Refuge
Membership is open to the public. Address membership inquiries and other correspondence to:
Friends of the 500th, PO Box 422, Davis, WV 26260
the Nation’s 500th.
Email us at: [email protected]
Friends of the 500th
PO Box 422
Davis, WV 26260
Return Service Requested
Fourth Annual Friends & Refuge Photo Contest – Deadline October 8
Friends Annual Membership Meeting – Saturday, October 13 at 10:00 a.m.