Ours is a river of love. She accepts us just as we are. We bring to her our whole, authentic selves. She allows us to ride on her back for a joyous day of wonder and happiness, making no judgements. She allows us to sit in quiet to hear the rushing water, the birds singing about us in our quest to find peace and clear our mind. Let us all rejoice that our river accepts us, just as we are.

Our watershed is big and so are our dreams!

We dream of continuing our programs to keep our waters clean and healthy for all. We dream of growing our membership and volunteer numbers. We dream of continuing our water quality project and educational programs. Would you please consider a donation or membership? Any amount helps and we sincerely appreciate your contributions. You can go directly to Membership and Donations and make a donation of your choice or become a member! Our mailing address is PO Box 1419 Lewisburg, WV 24901 Thank you!

From WV Rivers Coalition -

More than 60 people joined us for our first-ever Paddle with Pride, and for some of them it was their first time paddling! We loved seeing so many folks spend the day floating the Greenbrier, meeting new people, and enjoying one of West Virginia’s beautiful rivers together.

Big thanks to Greenbrier Valley Pride and Greenbrier Watershed Assoc. for partnering with us, to New River Gorge Outfitters and River City Ronceverte for helping make the trip happen, and to The Sportsman Tavern for hosting our karaoke after-party.

Thank you to everyone who came along. Days like this remind us why getting people out on the water matters.

Islets on the Greenbrier by Chris Chanlett, GRWA board member

As we approached Ronceverte on the Paddle with Pride expedition, we observed a string of small islands arrayed sequentially on river right. They were mounds of stone apparently held together by a cluster of plants, often featuring a contorted sycamore. They looked like Japanese bonsai installations.

As luck would have it, I was paddling alongside former judge Bob Irons from Monroe County. An ardent history buff, he identified the islets as “moorings” that allowed the “arks” of sawlogs complete with housing for the crews to queue up and deliver to the massive mill in Ronceverte. As the watershed thawed each spring and the water levels rose, the “riders of the flood” seized the time to negotiate their cargo, each in turn, into the holding ponds. The lumberjacks rode into town.

As we moved with Pride downstream, we noticed the foundations of now submerged piles of flattish stone. The builders created a rectangle of logs, something like 20x40 feet secured to the river bottom with 1” rebar. Amazingly these structures, probably built in the mid-19th century, are still in place. They may have sloped the stones to the inside for stability and perhaps set a center post for tying up the raft. On the remaining islets plants have done an elegant job securing the pile.

Thanks to the organizers who got me and scores of others back out on this stretch. I always like to take a little history with my recreation and social gatherings. 

Enjoy some videos below from our float trip!

Action Alert - This affects the Greenbrier River Watershed !

Last year, South Fork Coal Company went bankrupt and idled its 3,600-acre mining complex on the South Fork of Cherry River in Greenbrier County. That complex included a haul road through the Mon that regulators allowed to operate unlawfully. Now, two new coal companies — Clearco and Aurevo — are trying to take over this mining complex and resume operations within and adjacent to the national forest.

Alarmingly, the DEP has granted "advanced approval" that allows these companies to begin operating before receiving proper permits. The mining complex already has a long history of releasing heavy metals and sediment into waterways vital to wildlife such as the endangered candy darter.

Tell the DEP to protect our public lands and say NO to these coal companies!

Click on link here

The Arc of Appalachia is a non-profit organization that purchases tracts of forest lands to preserve them, some of which is in or near the Greenbrier River watershed. The 2,770-acres New River Wilderness will be sold at public auction on June 30th. They are calling on people who love wild places to help save as many of the eight parcels as possible. Consider pledging and sharing this with friends, family and fellow conservationists. The strenth of our community will determine what we can save. Thank you!

Click Here for more

Critical Habitat declared in parts of Greenbrier and Pocahontas County in WV for the endangered Rusty Patched Bumblebee - Read More Here

Do you have erosion problems along your stream banks? Thanks to a grant from the Mountain Resource Conservation Development Council, The GRWA has FREE native seed bags to distribute! We have a Riparian Mix capable of surviving wet conditions and periodic flooding, stabilizing stream banks and reducing erosion as well as offering habitat for pollinators & wildlife. We also have a Riparian Buffer seed mix to establish deep-rooted dense vegetation to help stabilize banks, filter pollutants and create wildlife habitat. Email: greenbrierwatershed@gmail.com if you want to pick some up.

We thank our many Premier and Gold level business members for their support! Please tell them thank you when you see them! We are always looking for more business members - a clean and healthy river is a benefit for all whether you live here or work here!

Need at last minute gift for someone you know who loves the Greenbrier River? Give them a gift membership! We will send them this acknowledgement card and keep them abreast of our work through our newsletters. Follow the link to memberships here https://wordpress.greenbrier.org/join-us/membership/ or use the QR code in the above newsletter.

Thank you!

Something easy you can do to support the Greenbrier River Watershed Association - sign up for Kroger Rewards! It's easy to do and it costs you nothing extra. Please sign up today, & thank you!

Wanted: New Members

The Greenbrier River Watershed Association is dedicated to continuing our work to preserve and protect our unique environment. We need NEW members and hope YOU will consider joining us, OR please renew your current membership if you haven't yet for 2025. You will be supporting a busy group that monitors the Greenbrier River and it's tributaries, participates in educational events and gets out to pick up trash. Just scan the QR code and join. If you would like to volunteer, just let us know what your interest is. Also, you can join any committee without having to be a board member so if one of our committees matches your interest, just let us know. Thank you!

Contact your representatives, often! Participate! Be heard!

Contact your local, state and federal representatives with your concerns.

WV Legislature HERE

VA Legislature HERE

Members of Congress HERE

Volunteer ~ Get involved with what matters to you!

Make your time count by volunteering with your favorite non-profit to do any number of things from helping with river cleanups, to monitoring rivers and creeks, to making phone calls or licking envelopes. You will make a difference.

Donate to a non - profit working to help save your backyard.



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Follow these pages ~ Stay informed on the issues.

WV Rivers ~ WV Rivers is the statewide voice for water-based recreation and clean, drinkable, swim-able, and fishable rivers and streams-from the headwaters to wherever water flows in West Virginia. 

Appalachian Voices ~ The Appalachian Voice has covered environmental, outdoor and cultural news in the Appalachian mountains since 1996. We provide thorough and well-researched journalistic news coverage to fit a niche not often covered by standard news media.

New River Conservancy ~ Protecting the water, woodlands and wildlife of the New River Watershed.

Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance ~ Protecting the heritage, resources and economy of the Allegheny-Blue Ridge region.

WV Environmental Council ~ Facilitate communication and cooperation among citizens in promoting environmental protection in West Virginia, to assist in organizing grass roots groups, to facilitate interaction among established environmental organizations, and to correspond with all appropriate local, state, and federal agencies involved in the management of West Virginia's environment. 

Wild Virginia ~ Along with our partners, alliances, and citizens like you, we press on in the fight against fracked gas pipelines in our region. The Mountain Valley Pipeline poses a great risk to our forests and surrounding communities. We are also working to improve habitat connectivity for wildlife throughout Virginia and to ensure that all of our waterways are fully protected in accordance with the law.

Stop the Money Pipeline ~ If we can stop the flow of money, we can stop the flow of oil. In early 2020, thirty-two organizations came together to form the Stop the Money Pipeline coalition. We stand on the shoulders of years of movement work pressuring financial institutions to act on climate.