MERCER COUNTY, W.Va. (WVVA) – This summer, if you’re looking for an enjoyable outdoor activity, consider exploring the natural beauty in your own backyard. This very idea brought a statewide botany group to our region this weekend.
The West Virginia Native Plant Society (WVNPS), a group dedicated to discovering rare plants in the Mountain State, visited Mercer County. Their expedition began at the Brush Creek Preserve on Saturday and continued to Pinnacle Rock State Park on Sunday. They were on the lookout for rare plants such as the Carolina lily and highbush blueberry patches.
Kevin Campbell, a trustee for WVNPS and one of the organizers of the expedition, emphasized the area’s natural uniqueness, making it an ideal location for plant-based tourism.
“You start getting different geologic formations. You are on the edge of the ridge and valley region here of the state, so you have a lot more varied habitats to look at, and that means a lot more plants to look at,” Campbell explained.
This visit marked the Society’s first return to the area in a decade.