Aurora in Clover Hollow, Giles County, VA. Photo by David Martin.

Virginians rely on the outdoors as a place to exercise, experience nature, socialize with friends and family, and fund our economy. Virginia’s public lands provide residents and tourists with access to small parks, large national forests, and historic and cultural resources. Public lands also protect our land, air, and water from toxic pollution, serving as natural buffers that keep wildlife and people safe. With 90% of Virginians supporting additional funding, there is clear statewide support to protect our public lands.

A lack of dedicated funding is putting our public lands at risk. Continued underfunding has made it difficult to keep up with public demand, leading to delayed maintenance and staffing shortfalls. Our public lands are also facing increasing pressure to be converted for other uses, threatening our ability to preserve and manage them. Without additional funding, we risk losing these public lands and the opportunity to protect them for future generations.

The Virginia’s Great Outdoors Act would provide the necessary funding needed to continue protecting our public lands. You can take a deeper dive into investing and strengthening park funding in Our Common Agenda. To learn more, read our “Investing in Accessible Public Lands”, and “Access to the Outdoors” policy papers.

Unfortunately, both HB641 and SB393 have been defeated. We will continue to work with our Partners to support efforts to increase conservation and outdoor recreation funding for Virginia’s Great Outdoors.