Blackwater Falls State Park Foundation
Annual Report
2025
The 2025 year was an active one for the Foundation with both advancements and challenges. The Park’s leadership team and the Foundation benefited from the arrival of Joe Emmerth earlier this spring as the new Assistant Superintendent. Sadly, Paulita Cousins, a long serving and dedicated Park Naturalist passed this Fall. Her years of service, programming and her singular voice in advocating for the Park’s designation as Dark Sky will serve as continuing inspiration for the Foundation’s efforts to see that dream realized.
The Foundation’s efforts focused on enhancing a number of the Park’s many attractive physical attractions and features including:
- In partnership with the WV State Park Foundation, the construction of a needed equipment shed for the Sled Run snow tube facility was made possible
- A new pickle board court was developed with Foundation funding
- A new wildlife mount was funded for The Nature Center
- Two enclosed display boards were purchased featuring educational materials and the progress being made towards Dark Sky certification
- Initiated a monthly trail maintenance program linking volunteers with Park staff to address trail improvements on a prioritized basis
- Engaged external expertise to design and develop a budget for a needed playground replacement. The project is now ready for submission to potential funding sources.
- The major focus of efforts and financial support continue to be on the process of achieving Dark Sky certification. The Foundation utilized the services of a licensed electrician, as funding permitted, to replace non-compliant lighting fixtures with Dark Sky compliant fixtures also were purchased by the Foundation. A number of Park facilities have seen lighting upgrades this year including on-site residences, wastewater treatment building, the Boathouse, the Lodge parking lot and cabin lighting adding a total of 104 Dark Sky compliant lights. In addition, a lighting proposal is now competed for Sled Run as well as external lighting in and around the Main Lodge. There still remains much needed work to be completed however the Foundation is now positioned to seek external funding sources with accurate and realistic budget proposals.
The Foundation participated in numerous events complimentary to the Park; thereby helping to bring greater awareness to the Foundation’s efforts and the Park. These events included:
- Wildflower Weekend
- Astrophotography Weekend
- Astronomy Weekend
- WV Trails Regional Meeting
- WV Master Naturalist Conference
- Highlands Conservancy Conference
- Friends of the Blackwater Celebration Events
- Tucker County Day at the WV State Capitol
- Run for It
The Foundation also completed a number of initiatives and milestones strengthening its capabilities including:
- Welcoming two new Board members
- Establishing specific yearly goals
- Creating its own website at www.BWFSPFoundation.org with 2,732 visitors and over 16,000 hits in its first few months of existence
- Followers of the Foundation’s Facebook page who now number a record 4881
- A total of $13,426.30 was raised to support the needs of the Park
- Created contributing options through PayPal and Kroger Rewards
- Registered and updated Foundation information on both Candid and Benevity
- Created a “stand alone” display that is portable and promotes the Foundation and its work
- Developed simple “handouts” featuring the Foundation and its work for public events
The Foundation thanks the leadership and staff of the Blackwater Falls State Park, the WV State Parks Foundation and perhaps most importantly the many advocates, volunteers and supporters of Blackwater State Park for our efforts in 2025.