“ As an avid hunter and angler myself , I ’ ve been invested in protecting and preserving our great recreation areas across the state while also working to provide safe , consistent access to our lands for West Virginians , conservationists , the outdoor community and our visitors . For years , I fought to make the New River Gorge a national park and preserve . As ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee , my staff and I worked with federal agencies , constituents , West Virginia businesses and associations to find a way to designate the New River Gorge as a national park and preserve . Ensuring that all West Virginians , our local communities , outdoor organizations , hunters and anglers had their voices heard was vital . My staff and I spent countless hours listening to the concerns of everyone involved . We worked to find a compromise that addressed those concerns while continuing to accomplish our main goal . We had an incredible group of dedicated West Virginians who worked tirelessly to make this happen . I ’ m proud of our efforts that made this decades-long dream a reality .”
– Senator Joe Manchin
Photo by West Virginia Department of Tourism .
“ This is something I worked extremely hard on , and it ’ s something that has been a few years in the making . I first introduced the bill in the 115th Congress in 2018 to designate the New River Gorge as a national park . This bill was more of a placeholder for what we all envisioned as the park and preserve . After opening a dialogue with the National Park Service and hunting organizations in West Virginia , I determined that the best path forward would be to redesignate the New River Gorge as a national park and preserve . Senator Manchin and Congresswoman Miller eventually joined my effort to redesignate the Gorge , and I was glad to have their support . I made sure the voices of our fellow West Virginians were heard and groups that would be impacted by this decision were meaningfully involved . As a result of my hard work and persistence , the legislation was attached to the year-end legislative package that the Congress passed and President Trump signed into law .”
– Senator Shelley Moore Capito
individuals began to center their quarantine routines around spending time outdoors and socially distant from others .
Between the new status and the nationwide increase in outdoor recreation due to the pandemic , visitation rates have steadily increased , with a September 2021 increase of 55.5 % in the park compared to 2020 . Due to this overwhelming growth , there is great interest from outside investors and expansion plans from existing businesses .
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“ Southern West Virginia is experiencing some exciting revitalization in our small towns with new restaurants , breweries , bakeries , coffee shops and more ,” says Lisa Strader , director at Visit Southern West Virginia . “ But what we are really looking forward to is the interest that is being shown to bring in new development and the expansion of current attractions that will help us welcome our guests and make them want to make West Virginia a destination they return to time and time again .”
Photo by Sarah Garland .
In a state where coal mining once predominantly fueled the economy , tourism and outdoor recreation have become principal driving forces . While the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve ’ s gateway communities , such as Fayetteville and Oak Hill , have seen and will continue to see positive growth , the entirety of West Virginia will experience a ripple effect because of the increased tourism and economic prosperity brought to the state by the status change .
Photo by Megan Tabelon .
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