State to Dedicate New State Forest in Shenandoah County

Virginia’s newest State Forest, a 558-acre tract on Little North Mountain in northwestern Shenandoah County, will be dedicated Saturday during a ceremony that will honor the family donating the land.

The Devil’s Backbone State Forest is a gift from John Hoffman and his family. The dedication will begin at 1 p.m. at the Gravel Springs Lutheran Church, 1870 South Pifer Road, Star Tannery, Va.

“This is an outstanding gift to the people of the Commonwealth,” said Virginia State Forester Carl Garrison. “To be able to conserve 558 acres of the scenic Cedar Creek Valley for future generations is a tremendous achievement. All of us are grateful to the Hoffman family for their generosity and their commitment to forest conservation.”

The Devil’s Backbone State Forest is primarily an Upland Hardwood – Southern Pine forest type dominated by various species of oak trees. The tract also contains a parcel of young loblolly pine trees. The Forest will be dedicated to forest research and conservation education.

“We will use some of the land to determine how blight-resistant American Chestnut trees will survive in an uncontrolled forest environment,” Garrison said. “And there will be passive recreation (walking, hiking, biking) opportunities for Virginians. With the help of several Eagle Scouts, two trails have been developed that will enable visitors to walk from the main gate to the top of Little North Mountain by following the main access road and then onto an arduous, but well-defined trail.”

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The Virginia Department of Forestry protects and develops healthy, sustainable forest resources for Virginians. Headquartered in Charlottesville, there are Forestry staff members assigned to every county to provide service to citizens of the Commonwealth. VDOF is an equal opportunity provider.

With nearly 16 million acres of forest land and more than 248,000 Virginians employed in the forest products industry, Virginia forests provide more than $30 billion annually in benefits to the Commonwealth.