Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Stakeholders Meeting
Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
AFHA Update
April 7, 2006
Meetings will be held at The Inn & Spa, downtown Berkeley SpringsPlease RSVP
if you plan to attend - we need accurate numbers for meals and tours. Watch
this website for updates to agenda. SCHEDULE
Thursday April 6th
1:30 pm — 4:30 pm Forest Tour. Green Ridge State Forest — Meet at Green
Ridge Headquarters, Allegany Co.
(See Details in Forest Tour)
5:00 pm — 6:00 pm Walking Tour of Berkeley Springs
6:30 pm AFHA Board Meeting & Dinner
After meeting Informal gathering — music?
Friday April 7th
9:30 am — 10:00 am Welcome and updates
10:00 am - 10:45 am Interest Group Meetings
11:00 am - 12:00 am The Forest Speaks presentation
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Lunch (provided)
12:30 pm — 1:30 pm Forest Heritage in Morgan County
1:45 pm - 2:45 pm Developing Tourist Trails in AFHA
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm AFHA Council Meeting
Lodging
Rooms are available at The Inn and Spa at Berkeley Springs, Morgan County
WV. Accommodation rates and information are available at
www.theinnandspa.com or calling (800)-822-6630. For other lodging, see the
website at www.berkeleysprings.com/lodging.htm or try the new Best Western
at 304/258-9400.
Other Notes
Please RSVP that you plan to attend so we will have head counts for meals,
tours, and meeting attendance. Email < phyllisb@meer.net> or call
304-636-6182 and ask for Coral. Check with us also if you are looking for a
roommate. Watch this website or future emails for updates and more info on
the agenda or activities.
Directions:
To The Inn & Spa, Berkeley Springs: From I-70 at Hancock, MD, take exit for
US Rt 522 (exit 1B) south to Berkeley Springs. Follow 522 south for 6.5
miles to the Inn, which is on the right.
To Green Ridge State Forest: 22 miles east of Cumberland, off I-68 at Exit
64 (M.V. Smith Road) Go South approximately 500 feet and make a right on
Headquarters Drive (at the Smokey Bear sign) Follow to end and you are at
the Green Ridge State Forest Headquarters.
Tours Thursday
Thursday afternoon come to western Maryland for a forest tour of Green Ridge
State Forest, led by Mark Beals and Rob Jones. Meet at the Green Ridge
Headquarters, tour will start about 1:30. Then we will move on to Berkeley
Springs, for a walking tour of the town at 5:00. Pick up your walking tour
brochure with info packet at The Inn & Spa.
Special Presentations:
The Forest Speaks: One Place, Many Voices
Join folklorists Michael and Carrie Kline for a foray into story gathering
and community building. Hear examples of recent heritage tourism audio
productions. Learn about listening in our communities and tune into voices
not usually heard in discussions of public policy or local values. Find ways
to give voice to the intersections between folkloric and environmental
issues, tapping into local wisdom and memory issues of livelihood and
stewardship.
During this session the Klines, an Elkins-based folklife documentation and
audio production team, will tell of their work gathering community history
and ecological knowledge in developing heritage-based tourism. In West
Virginia, along with Schuylkill County, PA, Southern Maryland—s Chesapeake
Tidewater, Cherokee, North Carolina, Kentucky and Western Massachusetts,
they have worked with heritage areas and local initiatives to chronicle,
celebrate and elevate local cultural resources. Within AFHA they have worked
on projects in Pocahontas and Randolph Counties (Staunton-Parkersburg
Turnpike series), Hampshire County, and Pendleton County. They have recently
developed a handbook for pursuing heritage tourism from the grassroots up.
special FOREST TOUR
Green Ridge State Forest- State forester Mark Beal will lead a motorized
forest tour (no hiking) of special features of the Green Ridge State Forest
on Thursday, April 6 at 1:30pm. In celebration of the Maryland Forest
Centennial, forester Francis Zumbrun will dress in 1906 forester's garb and
give some insights about the history of the forest and area. Spectacular
overlooks, wildlife sightings, and lush forests will be highlights of the
stop-and-go 2 hour tour.
Off-the-road vehicles are welcome. The foresters have room for a few
visitors to ride in the vehicle with them. This is not a hiking tour. The
tour is sponsored by the Appalachian Forest Heritage Area project.
The event is free and reservation requests are appreciated. Please call
301-478-3125. Directions: I-68 to Exit 64 (MV Smith Road). Travel south 500
feet to Headquarters Drive and turn right toward the Headquarters building.
The tour will begin there.
For More Information or for Reservations Contact:
Mark Beal, Forester
Green Ridge State Forest
304-478-3125