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Pocahontas County is known for its natural beauty. Tourism drives the local economy ﾖ it provides fewer taxes for residents as well as increased business for small business owners. One group, the West Virginia Wilderness Coalition, is pushing to create the \"Birthplace of Rivers Natural Monument,\" the first natural monument in West Virginia. Others are opposed because of fears of more strict hunting and fishing laws. ﾠThe birthplace of rivers idea springs from the fact that eight major rivers begin in Pocahontas County.

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Mike Costello is leading the effort. I went out the area last Thursday afternoon with him. I wore shorts and a T-shirt, thinking we would just go out on the boardwalk by the glades. I knew immediately I made a wrong decision. When I met Mike, he was with Mark Jennings, an outdoors enthusiast with extensive knowledge about the area. Mr. Jennings looked at Mike and I and immediately said, ﾓYou guys are going to have some trouble in shorts. Weﾒre going to be going through some tall grass.ﾔ

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And so my first backcountry experience began. We pulled off on the side of the road and went into the woods. I had my tripod, video camera and bag and still camera. We trudged for about a half an hour until we found one of Markﾒs favorite spots ﾖ right near Hills Creek with a beaver dam in the background. It was truly beautiful and remarkable. That area, he said, is more for experienced outdoorsmen because while it may not be as stunning as other natural monuments in the country, the detail is extraordinary.

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We took some video in the area, stumbling through long grass, which is sometimes sprayed to keep invasive species away. I fell once. But while these groups are taking two different approaches to keeping this land beautiful ﾖ the proposed natural monument vs. continuing under the Forest Managementﾒs supervision ﾖ they do agree on one thing: the land is a prized possession in the area.

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After walking through mud and creeks, I came home with probably 50 scratches on my dirt-covered legs. My tennis shoes were ruined, but all in all, it was a great experience.

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