ABRA’s new Conservation Hub program, which was featured in the lead article in the October 23 ABRA Update, is embarking on a major project that will be the first of its kind in the nation. The National Forest Mapping Project (NFMP) will monitor proposed and ongoing projects in the three National Forests that are located within the Central Appalachian Highlands (Monongahela in West Virginia and George Washington and Jefferson in Virginia). A just- released overview of the NFMP explains:
The NFMP will support informed review of proposed Forest Service land and water management projects, as well as other public and private-use projects in the National Forests. At any given time, there are several dozen projects underway or under consideration within the three National Forests. The NFMP will provide valuable assistance to conservation groups throughout Virginia and West Virginia in keeping apprised of these projects and their impact on the region and the surrounding communities.
The NFMP will make available in one place a wide range of information concerning National Forest project plans, environmental conditions, and regulatory requirements that are otherwise often difficult to find and organize.