Dysart Defenders updated February 2, 2006
  • Ultimate hearing date Friday, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. in Columbus for Dysart Woods!

  • Dysart Defenders carries on appeal.  hearings: July 7-9, July 25-26, August 10-12 and August 30-September 1

  • Ohio University sells out Dysart Woods!

  • Dysart Defenders needs help with our legal expenses.  The appeal to stop mining under Dysart Woods has hearings coming up in April or May. 

  • Lots more information at the Buckeye Forest Council web site

  • Athens Messenger article: Buckeye Forest Council and Dysart Defenders appeal permit to mine Dysart

  • POPLAR hold sit-in in OU President Robert Glidden's office, OU agrees to appeal permit.

  • Athens Messenger article: groups to appeal permit

  • ODMR passes permit to undermine Dysart Woods

  • Dysart Defenders hold successful rally (POST article)

  • Banner hung in front of OU's main administration building, Cutler Hall, asking OU to appeal the -12 permit

  • Dysart Woods rally Thursday, May 29 at noon at the West Portico of Memorial Auditorium on College Green, Athens

  • Email a letter to be delivered to OU President Glidden at the rally (he will be there himself) or mail to POPLAR, P.O. Box 571; Athens, OH 45701

  • OU POST update about Dysart Woods 

  • Press Release about ODMR finding of 255 violations of law in OVCC permit

  • Wheeling Intelligencer article on PROPOSED OU compromise

  • Ohio University considers compromise on Dysart Woods

  • Athens News article about Student Senat Resolution to protect Dysart Woods

  • Feb. 27 OU POST article about Student Senate Resolution

  • Student Senate Passes Resolution to protect Dysart Woods

  • Email, call and FAX Governor Taft

  • Cleveland WRUW radio interview with Dysart Defenders coordinator Chad Kister (1 hour, 25 megabyte mp3 file).

  • Athens News Article about Dysart Defenders meeting with Ohio Division of Mineral Resources Chief Michael Sponsler

  • Ohio University announces it will hire environmental lawyer

  • Dysart Defenders holds successful street theater demonstration and turns in 3,000 petition signatures to Ohio University President Robert Glidden.

  • Athens News Article about the event

  • Dysart Defenders overwhelm coal company seven to one at public hearing Thursday evening!

  • Chad Kister's testimony

  • Public hearing on permit to undermine Dysart Woods September 19 at 6:00 p.m.

  • Note: Dysart Defenders' coordinator, Chad Kister's phone number has changed to (740) 753-2278

  • Dysart Defenders holds press conference at Ohio Division of Mineral Resources headquarters in Columbus

  • Dysart Defenders needs help to appeal to Ohio Supreme Court: time is running out!!!

  • Destiny of Dysart still Unknown: The POST, June 26, 2002

  • ODMR deems permit to undermine Dysart Complete

  • Flier for Wednesday rally (please print, copy on re-used or recycled paper and post)

  • Dysart Defenders outnumber coal company more than two to one at public hearing Wednesday

  • Post letter to the editor published May 7

  • Public Hearing May 15 for Dysart Woods

  • Map of all pending permits

  • Map of the -12 permit which would undermine all of Dysart Woods.  The -13 and -9 permits are to access the -12 permit area.

  • ODMR Schedules hearing May 15 on new permit to undermine Dysart Woods Watershed (in addition to OVCC's proposal to undermine all of Dysart Woods, including the Old Growth portions!)

  • Dysart Defenders appeal hearing April 16 to stop undermining of ancient forest

  • Dysart Defenders appeals permit to mine under Dysart Woods

  • Please print petition, get signatures and mail to: P.O. Box 31; Athens, OH 45701

  • Map of D-360-9 permit and Dysart

  • Map of Dysart Watershed Buffer

  • The full text of the 47 page appeal (100+ pages with appendices that will soon be posted)

  • ODMR approves mining permit area under Dysart Woods!

  • Ohio Valley Coal Company applies to mine under Dysart Woods

  • Dysart Defenders appeals Ohio Reclamation Commission Exemption Decision

  • Benefit Concert needs organizers: email chad@dysartwoods.org

About Dysart Woods

    Dysart Woods is among the last .004 percent of remaining ancient forest in Ohio.  It is the most significant stand of mixed mesophytic virgin forest left in Ohio, and is among the most endangered ecosystem in the world.  Dysart Woods is owned by Ohio University and is a National Natural Landmark.  But Ohio Valley Coal Company has a pending permit to mine right under Dysart Woods.  Please join Dysart Defenders in our effort to save this ancient forest.

    Dysart Defenders has two active appeals of the lands unsuitability for mining petition, and an appeal of OVCC's coal waste dump just upstream from the endangered Eastern Hellbender, America's largest aquatic salamander.  The waste dump is for coal OVCC wants to mine from under Dysart Woods.


Directions to Dysart Woods

From Columbus: take Interstate 70 East. Go to exit 208 (they follow the mile marker numbers) and take a right (south) on 149. Go about 5 miles until the road dead ends on 147/149. Take a left. Go to the little town of Belmont and take a right on 147 East. Go about 5 miles until you see the Dysart Woods sign on the right.  Follow the next sign to your right.  Next, go straight to the grassy parking area about a half mile down the narrow gravel road on your left.

The blue trail goes down from the parking area, loops around over the road to the red trail that is on the opposite side of the ridge top as the blue trail.  It can take some searching to find the trail head.


Dysart Woods

OVCC Coal refuse dump

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