Some photos are more than just a photo. This one, taken around 1968 or 1969, captures a group of hunters gathered at Winfred Orndorf’s place during deer season. To George “Buddy” Norris, these men were more than hunting companions. They…
In the Cacapon Valley, hunting has never been just a pastime. For generations, it was also a practical necessity, helping families put food on the table and make ends meet during difficult times. Deer, squirrel, turkey, and other game provided…
For nearly a century, one West Virginia family has worked to protect a special place along the North River — ensuring the forests, streams, and wildlife remain for generations to come. For Gene E. Fisher, the 163 acres known as…
For Stephen Slonaker, protecting his land isn’t just about today’s crops or this year’s harvest. It’s about certainty — the kind that stretches far beyond one lifetime. The Slonaker family has owned and farmed land along Dillons Run for more…
High on Cacapon Mountain sits a sandstone formation so striking it feels almost mythical. Locals call it the Tea Table – a broad, sculpted rock that looks as though it was built for giants to gather and sip tea while…
While the full Cacapon Watershed Collaborative (CWC) comes together quarterly to align priorities and adapt to changing conditions, much of the real progress happens in smaller, focused working groups. These groups bring together conservation practitioners, landowners, agency staff, and partner…
Some moments stay with us – not because they were dramatic, but because they quietly changed how we see the world. In December 2015, longtime conservation supporter John Gavitt shared two simple photographs on Facebook. More than a decade later,…
Protecting a watershed isn’t the work of a single organization – or even a single sector. The Cacapon and Lost Rivers Watershed stretches across forests, farms, streams, and rural communities in eastern West Virginia. It’s a place where clean water,…
Farming has long worn a romantic reputation – open fields, rolling hills, and a life close to the land. But for the families who have worked this Valley generation after generation, the truth is far more complex. Farming can be…
