In recent years, the farms and forests have come under increasing scrutiny by the University Administration and various community interest groups as potential sites for development. This is particularly true of the Morgantown area properties, but the pressures are taking place on every University farm and forest property. Their locations, once well-removed from city and the campus, are in the path of development as the city and the campus expand. They are viewed as vacant areas ripe for development The properties are in jeopardy of becoming fragmented and bounded by developments that may be in direct conflict with agricultural and forest practices necessary for the continuation of the academic programs in agriculture and natural resources.

It was concluded that the future and long-term needs of the agriculture and natural resources programs of the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Consumer Sciences require that farms and forests in the Morgantown area be maintained in essentially the locations and land areas currently occupied. Of particular note, ongoing long-term studies (regarding land use, sustainable agriculture, and forest succession) would be compromised by further fragmentation of these facilities. It is also concluded that the farm and forest areas managed by the College serve an increasingly important role as greenspace areas for the community. Pastoral and forest landscapes add considerably to the ambience of the Morgantown area and will do so increasingly in the future.

College administration, faculty and staff often have not been consulted to help weigh the impacts of, or propose alternatives to, proposed development. The College will continue to maintain management plans that will detail present and future uses for all of the properties. Planning for the future needs of the College’s programs cannot be properly carried out where there is lack of consideration and foresight given to the impacts of proposed developments on the College's programs.

In view of their strong concern about their role of the farms and forests in its academic programs, the faculty of the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences adopt this position statement and the following resolutions pertaining to the use and management of its existing farms and forests:

1. The College faculty will not support any proposal for construction, development, or sale of any lands currently managed by the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences that has not been presented to, and deliberated by, the faculty and the College administration.

2. The general area and location of farms and forests managed by the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences are well situated to support current and future teaching, research, service, and community outreach programs. These lands cannot, therefore, be displaced without measures to mitigate damage to the agricultural and natural resources programs of West Virginia University.