2004 BCBC Trail Resolution

Subject: Resolution to support trail system in Buchanan County

To: Buchanan County Tourism Committee

Date: February 23, 2004

Committee Members,

The Buchanan County Bird Club supports the Buchanan County Tourism Committee in its effort to develop a trail system in the county. There is a great need for a system of trails in the county to support outdoor appreciation and eco-tourism.

Need for trails:

Buchanan County is one of the few, if not the only, county in the state of Virginia with no public trails on which to hike. Not one single acre of National Forest property lies within the county and the only state park area within the county is a small strip of property near the outer edge of the Breaks Interstate Park – the vast majority of which lies within Dickenson County. Mining companies and timber companies own a large part of Buchanan County and for many years this property was open for hiking, mountain biking, and other recreational activities. Then it was decided to open hunting season for deer in the county. From that point on many of the employees of these coal and timber companies banded together to form hunt clubs in the county. Leases were signed and vast tracts of property in the county were posted “No Trespassing,” thus eliminating access to some of the best birdwatching spots in western Virginia.

When the Virginia Birding Trail was being formed here in western Virginia, Buchanan County was at a disadvantage when looking for areas that were open to the public for birding. The only two spots in Buchanan County that are listed on the VA Birding Trail include a state road and a county park with no trails. These areas do not represent much of an attraction for eco-tourism dollars to the county.

Economics of Birding: Eco-tourism

According to the 2002 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Study on Birding in the United States, 46 million Americans participate in birding. These birders generate $32 billion in retail sales annually, $84 billion in overall economic output, and $13 billion in federal and state taxes. These figures equate to millions of dollars per county in the United States. These numbers simply cannot be overlooked as the economic impact of birders eclipses even hunting and fishing in this country. Areas on the eastern shore of Virginia generate tens of millions of dollars in economic output from birding.

Thus, our county is at a disadvantage when competing for the eco-tourist dollars. We have the habitat, we have the unique bird species, but we just do not have access to these birds via a public trail system.

Habitat this trail will provide access to:

The proposed trail system in Buchanan County will provide access to some of the best birding areas in western Virginia. The combination of forested mountain slopes and reclaimed strip mine sites have created a unique environment for many species of migrating and nesting birds. The most heavily forested county in the state, Buchanan County hosts over 30 species of wood warblers. In addition, the autumn migration of sparrows through the reclaimed strip mine sites is one of the best in Virginia with over 10 different species of sparrow found on most hikes. Lying on the western edge of Virginia and located in the Mississippi migration flyway verses the Atlantic flyway gives us a unique mix of birds not found in the rest of the state. One of the top spots in the state for migrating fall warblers is found on Compton Mountain in Buchanan County.

Other species that are endangered or rare in Virginia are found in good numbers in Buchanan County. The endangered Cerulean Warbler is a common breeding bird in this county and double-digit counts of this species are not uncommon in a typical day hike. Our deep hollows are also good habitat for Swainson’s Warblers. The reclaimed strip mine sites offer birders a completely different mix of birds than our mountain areas. Blue-winged Warblers and Golden-winged Warblers both breed here in good numbers, creating a unique environment where it is not uncommon to find the hybrid Brewster’s Warbler. Also, at least one back-cross Lawrence’s Warbler has been spotted in the county. Other species that utilize these islands of grass in the Appalachians are Horned Larks, Eastern Meadowlarks, Northern Harriers, Northern Bobwhites, Prairie Warblers, Grasshopper Sparrows and others.

Conclusion:

The lack of trails in Buchanan County limits our access to some of the best birding sites in western Virginia. A system of trails in the county would generate much needed ecotourist dollars to an area with a depressed economy. The Buchanan County Bird Club supports the efforts of the Buchanan County Tourism Committee to develop a trail system in the county.

Sincerely,

Roger Mayhorn

• • • • President, Buchanan County Bird Club

      • Regional Editor, Virginia Society of Ornithology

Ed Talbott, III

• • • • Vice-President, Buchanan County Bird Club

      • Vice-Chairman, Buchanan County Tourism Committee

Web Sites:

Buchanan County Bird Club:

http://www.bcplnet.org/birdclub/birdclub.htm

2002 U.S. Fish & Wildlife report on Birding in the United States:

http://federalaid.fws.gov/ [PDF format]