James River Face Wilderness

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James River Face Wilderness
James River Face, from Va 130 looking southwest.jpg
James River Face, from Va 130 looking southeast
USA Virginia relief location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location Bedford, Rockbridge County, Virginia, United States
Nearest city Buena Vista, Virginia
Coordinates 37°35′19″N79°26′42″W / 37.588524°N 79.444885°W / 37.588524; -79.444885
Area8,907 acres (3,605 ha)
Established1975
Administrator U.S. Forest Service

The James River Face Wilderness is an 8,907-acre area located near Natural Bridge, Virginia that is protected by the Eastern Wilderness Act of Congress to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the National Wilderness Preservation System, it helps to preserve a variety of natural life forms and contributes to a diversity of plant and animal gene pools. Over half of the ecosystems in the United States exist within designated wilderness. [1]

Contents

The wilderness contains many contrasting features. A short distance separates scorched hillsides, stark rockpiles and dry forest on one side and exceedingly rich vegetation on the crest of the Blue Ridge on the other. [2]

The area is part of the Glenwood Cluster .

Location and access

Bridge for Appalachian Trail, crossing the James River, Virginia, fall 2017 Bridge for Appalachian Trail, crossing the James River, Virginia, Fall 2017.jpg
Bridge for Appalachian Trail, crossing the James River, Virginia, fall 2017

James River Face Wilderness is located in the Jefferson National Forest several miles from Natural Bridge Station, Virginia. It is bounded on the northeast by the James River, on the west by Forest Service Road 35, and on the south by the Blue Ridge Parkway. [3]

There are several well maintained trails giving access into the wilderness. Among these are: [3] [2] [4]

Natural history

The forest cover includes chestnut oak and various types of yellow pine. Northern red oak and hickories are found near Highcock Knob. The wilderness has sheltered coves with white oak, basswood and tulip poplar. Old growth trees are found in the watershed of Matt’s Creek and along the James River where the Appalachian Trail goes into the drainage of Matt’s Creek. [6]

Allegheny Woodrat Neotoma magister.jpg
Allegheny Woodrat

The Allegheny woodrat has been observed in the wilderness at the rock outcrops of the Devils Marbleyard. [7] : 127  The population of the woodrat is in decline. Among the hypotheses being considered for the decline are the loss of food sources, loss of habitat and mortality from parasites introduced by raccoons. [7] : 25–30 

The lower elevations of the wilderness have a long history of mineral development and logging. The area contains the former Francis T. Anderson's Glenwood Estate, regarded as one of the finest principalities in western Virginia. Anderson operated the Glenwood Iron Furnace, an enterprise that required thousands of acres of timber to produce the charcoal used in the iron furnace. The area was stripped of its timber, and then operators returned to log second and third-growth timber. [2]

Topography

James River from AT bridge looking north, fall 2017 James River from AT bridge looking north, fall 2017.jpg
James River from AT bridge looking north, fall 2017

The wilderness has a complex topography with a peak Highcock Knob towering at an elevation of 3100 feet over the James River at 650 feet, a rock outcrop Devils Marbleyard composed of quartzite boulders the size of a schoolbus, many creeks with rapid descents and waterfalls, and the tall ridges Piney Ridge on the east and Gunter Ridge on the west. [8] [2] [4] [6]

Management

This wilderness was designated by congress in 1975 and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service as a part of the Glenwood-Pedlar Ranger Districts of the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests. [8] There are some regulations to maintain the integrity of the area. For example, motorized equipment, motor vehicles and mountain bikes are prohibited, group size is limited to ten people, and limits are placed on camping.

The wilderness is being monitored for clean air, with special concern for visibility, water quality and vegetation. Sulfur compounds produce a haze reducing visibility, an acidification of streams and a leaching of nutrients from the soil, and ozone creates visible injury to plant leaves reducing plant growth. Pollutants are created by many sources over a large geographic region. [9] [10] [11]

Nearby wildlands

Nearby wilderness areas and wildlands recognized as one of Virginia's "Mountain Treasures" by the Wilderness Society are: [12]

See also

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James River Face Wilderness Addition is a wildland in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests of western Virginia that has been recognized by the Wilderness Society as a special place worthy of protection from logging and road construction. Adjacent to the James River Face Wilderness, it extends the wildland opportunities of the wilderness on the east to the Jefferson National Forest boundary. The area, managed for bear, has hardwood forests with ages between 60 and almost 100 years.

Wilson Mountain is a wildland in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests of western Virginia that has been recognized by the Wilderness Society as a special place worthy of protection from logging and road construction.

Cove Mountain is a wildland in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests of western Virginia that has been recognized by the Wilderness Society as a special place worthy of protection from logging and road construction.

The Glenwood Cluster is a region in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests recognized by The Wilderness Society for its rich biodiversity, scenery, wildflower displays, cold-water trout streams and horse trails. It offers a unique habitat for rare plants, salamanders and other rare species. The Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Trail traverse the area, giving ready access with views to the east of the Piedmont region and to the west of the Valley of Virginia.

The Barbours Creek-Shawvers Run Cluster is a region in the Jefferson National Forest recognized by The Wilderness Society for its unique high elevation mountains, vistas, trout streams and wildlife habitat. With over 25,000 acres in a remote corner of the national forest, the cluster provides protection for black bear, clean water and backcountry hiking.

Little Walker Mountain, a wildland in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests of western Virginia, has been recognized by the Wilderness Society as a special place worthy of protection from logging and road construction. The Wilderness Society has designated the area as a "Mountain Treasure".

Brushy Mountain, a wildland in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests of western Virginia, has been recognized by the Wilderness Society as a special place worthy of protection from logging and road construction. The Wilderness Society has designated the area as a "Mountain Treasure".

References

  1. ↑ "Why Wilderness?" . Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Bamford, Sherman (October 2014). 18 Wonders of Virginia. Richmond, Virginia: Sierra Club Virginia Chapter. ISBN   978-0-926487-79-6.
  3. 1 2 "Lexington, Blue Ridge Mts [George Washington and Jefferson National Forests]". www.NatGeoMaps.com. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Steven Carroll and Mark Miller (1995). Wilderness Virginia. Lexington, Virginia: Old Forge Productions. p. 145. ISBN   0-9646692-1-8.
  5. ↑ "James River Face Wilderness Hike". www.HikingUpward.com. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  6. 1 2 "James River Face Wilderness". Virginia Wilderness Committee. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  7. 1 2 Peles, John D.; Wright, Janet (2008). The Allegheny Woodrat. New York, N. Y.: Springer. ISBN   978-0-387-36050-8.
  8. 1 2 "James River Face Wilderness - General Information". Wilderness.net. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  9. ↑ Revised Land and Resource Management Plan, Jefferson National Forest, Management Bulletin R8-MB 115A. US Department of Agriculture. January 2004. p. 2-44.
  10. ↑ "- Forest Service Air Resource Management Program". www.fs.fed.us. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  11. ↑ "James River Face Wilderness". webcam.srs.fs.fed.us. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  12. ↑ Virginia's Mountain Treasures, report issued by The Wilderness Society, May 1999
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