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Bluestone State Park is a park near and dear to my heart and I’m excited to get to tell you about this beautiful place this month. Nestled in the heart of southern West Virginia, Bluestone is more than just a picturesque landscape; it’s a living testament to the state’s rich history and its enduring connection to the natural world. A large part of my career with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources was at Bluestone State Park as the park Superintendent and I have many wonderful memories there. Whether your passion is hiking, boating, camping, or enjoying the serene wilderness from a cabin deck, I hope you find our story this month inspires you to go make some memories of your own at Bluestone or one of our other state parks.
Also, in this month’s edition, I hope you enjoy an introduction to another of my passions. Making sure today’s youth have opportunities to get into the woods and experience hunting firsthand is a goal the Division of Natural Resources has set and one I take very seriously. The foundation of any successful and safe hunting experience, particularly for young hunters, rests firmly on a thorough understanding and consistent application of safety protocols and essential skills. Providing programs like Hunter’s Education courses to introduce those skills and reinforcing them through youth hunting opportunities is a focus of the agency. Personally, I look forward to being able to introduce my grandchildren to the joys of hunting and want to make sure the hunters of our state have the same opportunities with the young people in their lives. I started out hunting squirrel and rabbit with my father and grandfather and hope to see many more children get to have similar experiences.
We’re also bringing you interesting stories on state and federal partnerships between the Division of Natural Resources and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. These programs help protect threatened and endangered species in West Virginia and help provide and protect a healthy environment for wildlife. I hope you enjoy our stories on Project WILD and our partnership with the USFWS and they encourage you to get outside and get involved.
Brett W. McMillion,
Director Division of Natural Resources
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