The North Fork of Pound Lake area in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in southwestern Virginia is largely undeveloped and contains abundant water, timber and meadows. The habitat is attractive to elk, white-tailed deer and grouse.
However, invading non-native plants such as tree-of-heaven, Japanese honeysuckle and garlic mustard have diminished forage quality and quantity. A $27,500 grant from RMEF helped the U.S. Forest Service use herbicide treatments on invasive foliage and cut stumps across 58 acres in 2024 and 2025. The treatments knocked back invasive species by 95%, allowing native plants to recover.
Another RMEF grant of nearly $41,000 helped cover the cost of seed, mulch, lime and fertilizer applied to 764 acres of forage openings by Southwest Virginia Sportsmen. The work occurred from November 2024 to March 2025 within Virginia’s elk management zone in the War Fork, Southern Gap and Boyd Ridge areas. White-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, grouse and other wildlife benefit from the habitat stewardship project.