CASRI

CENTRAL APPALACHIAN SPRUCE RESTORATION INITIATIVE

Restoring historic red spruce-northern hardwood ecosystems. Together.

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Plant trees with us to celebrate Earth Day!

More information on how to dress, what to bring, and meeting sites and times will be posted here and on our Facebook page soon.

  • April 21 @ Canaan Valley State Park in WV
  • April 21-22 @ Cranesville Swamp Preserve in MD
  • April 22 @ Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge in WV
    • Meeting location: Canaan Valley NWR Office, google maps link
    • Time: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
    • What to bring: water, lunch, sturdy shoes or boots, appropriate clothes for being outdoors
    • Event contact: Dawn_Washington@fws.gov
  • May 6 @ Kumbrabow State Forest in WV
    • Meeting location: Meatbox Run picnic area on Kumbrabow State Forest
    • Time: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
    • What to bring: dress accordingly for the weather, tools and lunch will be provided
    • Event contact: f.josh.simons@wv.gov or travis.m.miller@wv.gov

Our 2022 Impact: Coming Soon!

2022 was a productive year for CASRI. Our partners completed many on-the-ground restoration projects in the Central Appalachians. Stay tuned for our annual Accomplishments Report!

                             

What is CASRI?

The Central Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative (CASRI) is a partnership of diverse interests with a common goal of restoring historic red spruce-northern hardwood ecosystems across the high elevation landscapes of Central Appalachia. It is comprised of private, state, federal, and non-governmental organizations which recognize the importance of this ecosystem for its ecological, aesthetic, recreational, economic, and cultural values.

Red spruce and red spruce-northern hard-wood forests once dominated the highest elevations of West Virginia, covering more than 500,000 acres. Extensive logging in the late 1800s and early 1900s reduced much of the mature forest in the Appalachians, including the red spruce-dominated stands. Today only about 29,600 acres of high elevation red spruce forests remain in the State. 2016 CASRI Year-End Report Major Highlights 2016 proved to be yet another year of impressive accomplishments for CASRI: Over 1,798 acres of high-elevation lands placed on a trajectory to develop into functioning red spruce ecosystems, bringing our restoration total to over 5,794 acres.