Doug White possesses a masterful blend of skills. He is the consummate naturalist as well as a woodcarver. He loves to capture in native hardwoods the beauty of our native wildlife in natural settings. His attention to detail is extraordinary.

Auction to Support the Ongoing 5-mile on the Gauley River Campaign

On Sunday, October 11, 2026, the auction gavel will fall on the sale of these magnificent wood carvings created by artist Doug White. The final bidding will take place during our Donor Gathering at our newest preserve, Sylvan Deep, near Jackson, Ohio. The event will begin with a program and lunch at Canter’s Cave 4-H Camp, where the highest bidder will have the opportunity to defend their bid. Bidding will then be opened to everyone in attendance, with the winning bid determined just before lunch is served.

This marks the fifth nature carving Doug White has created for the Arc’s annual land campaign. This year’s piece features a pair of Common Mergansers—a male and female—captured with remarkable detail and artistry. While mergansers have long been a familiar sight at our Gauley River Preserve, they were once far less common in Ohio. In recent years, however, these beautiful birds have begun nesting and raising their young along many of Ohio’s streams and creeks.

This year alone, we observed a female merganser perched atop the chimney of Cave House across from the Appalachian Forest Museum. Later, we spotted another female guiding her brood through the waters of Rocky Fork below the museum. Their growing presence is a hopeful sign of what can happen when wildlands are protected and restored. These birds symbolize the Arc of Appalachia’s mission to safeguard rich biodiversity and healthy forest ecosystems throughout Appalachia.

Doug’s carving also evokes the unseen connections that unite our community, the hidden threads that link supporters to one another and to the landscapes we work together to protect. Like the roots of a forest, those connections run deep. The piece is carved from basswood sourced near the preserve and is truly of museum quality.

Thanks to Doug's talent and generosity, 100% of the proceeds from the auction of this beautiful art piece will go toward our ongoing 5-mile on the Gauley River Campaign. Doug's vision is to turn his artistry into the living art of LAND. You can help make that vision a reality by placing a bid using the form below. This website will be manually updated daily or as often as needed to provide information on the sale.

*Bid increments of $200.00