About our Organization

The Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area conserves, interprets and promotes forest heritage to enhance landscapes and communities in the highlands of West Virginia and Maryland

The Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area works with willing partners in 16 West Virginia counties and 2 counties in western Maryland to explore and enhance the relationship between the forested mountains and the people who live here. With the overall theme of forest heritage, we focus on conservation, forestry, cultural heritage, asset-based tourism and community development.

Beginning in 2001, Appalachian Forest Heritage Area’s stakeholders and board agreed on mission, vision, and values that shaped our efforts. Learn about the History of AFNHA, and see some of our Accomplishments at the bottom of this page.
The Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area (AFNHA) was designated as a National Heritage Area in March 2019 recognizing the national significance of our forest heritage. As the Local Coordinating Entity designated to oversee the National Heritage Area, our organization guided the Management Plan to shape the future of the Appalachian Forest NHA.

Mission Statement

The Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area conserves and shares the rich forest heritage of West Virginia and Maryland by preserving cultural and natural resources, supporting sustainable tourism and rural communities, and connecting partners through education, interpretation, and collaboration.

Vision

For generations, the forests of the Appalachian Mountains have sustained communities, fueled America’s growth, and inspired countless visitors. The Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area (AFNHA) exists to share the enduring story of this forest legacy and the mountain people who shaped it.

AFNHA invites visitors to discover the rich forest heritage of West Virginia and western Maryland through thematic trails that offer recreation, education, entertainment, and meaningful connections to place—each tailored to personal interests and experiences.

Our communities thrive through AFNHA’s work. Local economies are strengthened through increased tourism, support for forest-based industries, cultural events, and the arts. Communities grow stronger through active participation and regional collaboration. Together, the region embraces a shared vision for the use, conservation, and celebration of our diverse forest landscape.

Core Values

• AFNHA values partnerships and communication across geographic lines and interest areas, seeking diverse and open participation with balanced representation of all partners in decision making, access to resources, and presentation.

• AFNHA seeks to provide education and interpretation for a broad range of local and visitor audiences, presenting messages in entertaining formats with scholarly accuracy, balanced presentation of differing viewpoints, and respect for the complexity of the issues.

• AFNHA values showing the working forest as an active force in the region's present and future, including making connections between the natural resources of the forest, people's livelihoods that are dependent on the forest, and the products from the forest that the whole country uses.

• AFNHA values education and interpretation on issues regarding long-term sustainability for the forest that respects needs and concerns of forestry and forest products industries, of economic and social needs of forest communities, and for health and biodiversity of the forest ecosystems.

• AFNHA utilizes cultural / heritage / nature tourism as a means to bring economic benefits to the AFNHA communities in a well-thought-out and balanced way that respects community values. Encouraging visitor respect of local standards and privacy, and targeting promotion to those sites and communities who wish to invite visitation, are among the tools that will be used to manage tourism impact.

• All participation in AFNHA programs or projects will be strictly voluntary. No resident, property owner, business, organization, or community will be considered a partner, nor will they be included in or bound by any agreements of the AFNHA, heritage area designation, or the management plan, unless they specifically choose to participate.

• AFNHA is not a land management organization, and has no land management agenda. Designation of AFNHA as a National Heritage Area will have no impact on private property within the area. AFNHA has no power or authority, nor will it ever accept any such authority, to regulate, zone, or control private property use. AFNHA cannot use federal funds to purchase land.

What We've Achieved