“West Virginia has only one renewable resource – its forests. It stands to reason, then, that much of our energy and effort should be spent on protecting this valuable resource.

The Division of Forestry’s top priority is to do just that. We protect from poor management practices, but most importantly, we protect against the ravaging effects of wildfire. In 1908, more than 1.7 million acres of forestland were destroyed by fire. As a result of this devastation, the West Virginia Reform Law of 1909 was established to protect the state forests. Today, the DOF protects nearly 12 million acres of forestland across West Virginia.“