I am writing to let you know about an old growth 14 acre white oak forest located on Virginia Tech’s campus in Blacksburg, VA. “Friends of VT’s Stadium Woods” is a local group of interested citizens, professors and students working to have the forest permanently protected from development. Currently the athletic departments wants to build an indoor football practice facility in the woods. Since mid-November 2011 Friends of VT’s Stadium Woods have been working to educate the public and the university community on the value of the ancient woods and the existence of at least 60 white oaks that are estimated to be more than 300 years old, and many more that are 100-200 years old. The unique ecosystem supports many native species plants, birds and more.

Please sign the ipetition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/vtstadiumwoods and visit the sister website with links to various articles that have appeared in the Roanoke Times and elsewhere at https://sites.google.com/site/stadiumwoodsvt/. I am happy to forward you more information if you want it after reviewing these websites.

I would very much appreciate any assistance that you might provide the Friends efforts to save the woods. We currently have more than 2900 signatures on the ipetition however we would like to gather 20,000 signatures.

For more information, please contact:
Rebekah Paulson, Co-Organizer
Friends of VT's Stadium Woods
P.O. Box 11207, Blacksburg, VA 24062
rebekah.paulson@comcast.net