A Year in Review: VCN’s 2022 Annual Report
Over the last year, VCN worked with our 150+ Network Partners to maintain momentum around policy gains while continuing to navigate working within the confines of the COVID-19 pandemic. The year was defined by a gubernatorial election and the infusion of federal money into the state budget. It ended with a vastly different political landscape including a new, untested Governor and a change in conservation strategy from offense to defense.
Our Annual Report reviews Virginia Conservation Network’s work from Spring 2021 to Winter 2022. While it feels almost impossible to cover everything we worked on last year in only a few pages, we did our best to squeeze in the highlights, including:
- our strategy to advance conservation initiatives year-round,
- our policy gains and challenges through the General Assembly session,
- our Network Partner engagement events,
- VCN staff updates,
- …and more!
Read more of our recent updates from our blog:
Video: Blueprint for a Better Region
Our partners at Coalition for Smarter Growth released a video detailing their Blueprint for a Better Region, a vision for a more sustainable, livable DC region. This video explains how smart growth ties together housing, transportation, land use, sustainability, and equity.
Banning Polystyrene in Restaurants
Katie Register and Zach Huntington from Clean Virginia Waterways provided commentary in the Richmond Times-Dispatch that phasing out polystyrene containers will not economically burden restaurants, as sustainable alternatives are available, affordable, and enhance customer support.
ROUNDUP: Unlawful Effort to Drop Clean Car Standards
Virginia Conservation Network Partners oppose the unlawful efforts to remove Clean Car Standards for Virginia.
We’re Hiring: Land Use & Transportation Campaign & Policy Manager
Virginia Conservation Network is looking for our next leader of land use and transportation policy work on issues including public transportation, electric vehicles, walkable communities, bike lanes, smart growth, and more.
Meeting Virginia’s Energy Needs Sustainably
Shenandoah University's Institute for Business, Sustainability & Society released a working paper outlining concerns about Dominion Energy's proposed Chesterfield peaker plant, such as its susceptibility to extreme weather events, health impacts, and high costs.
Catalyzing Virginia’s Wildlife Corridor Policy
Wildlands Network's Misty Boos recently shared her experiences in advancing the adoption of wildlife corridor and crossing policy in Virginia, during her time with both Wild Virginia and Wildlands Network.