LAND CONSERVATION & OUTDOOR RECREATION
Our Commitment
Protecting and making Virginia’s natural resources and outdoor recreation accessible in order to sustain the health of our families, wildlife, and water.
THE ISSUE
Virginian’s identities and quality of life are rooted in our land. We take pride in our stunning and iconic landscapes: the rugged Appalachian Mountains, fertile Piedmont, tidal rivers flowing across the coastal plain to the Chesapeake Bay. Virginia’s natural resources support local economies; form the foundation of our culture and diverse communities; and sustain the health of our people, our wildlife, and our water. But the demands facing Virginia’s landscapes are growing and Virginia needs to increase the scale and speed of its conservation efforts.
Land & Wildlife Conservation Recap: 2024 Policy Outcomes
Virginia Conservation Network advocated for 18 land conservation & wildlife bills this General Assembly session that protect our diminishing tree canopy, reduce invasive species, fund critical outdoor programs, and more.
Bill of the Day: Funding Virginia’s Great Outdoors
VCN is supporting efforts to increase conservation and outdoor recreation funding.
OPINION: State budget delivers for clean water and protected land
Money talks, and our bipartisan state budget reflects the values of the commonwealth. In an Op-Ed, VCN celebrates a bipartisan budget deal that allocates historic levels of funding for clean water.
Virginia Security Corridor Project Underway
The newly established Virginia Security Corridor will increase increase military preparedness, strengthen climate resilience, and support working lands while conserving natural resources.
ROUNDUP: Virginia’s Land Preservation Tax Credit Protects over 1 Million Acres
Sen. Emmett W. Hanger, Jr. announces over 1 million acres of Virginia land conserved thanks to Virginia's Land Preservation Tax Credit—a major milestone for the conservation community.
Land & Wildlife Conservation Policy for Virginia
Watch the Good Governance educational webinar, featuring our briefing book authors and their policy papers along with training on how to advocate for the state budget.
RESOURCES
Report: State Policy Leadership To Conserve Nature
The Center for American Progress (CAP) and the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL) released a report reviewing a variety of land conservation policy models that have been adopted at the state level, highlighting recent examples of each.
Resource Guide: Creating Walkable Piedmont Communities
Creating Walkable Piedmont Communities: A Resource Guide Towns and counties in the Virginia Piedmont have found success revitalizing [...]
Multi-Use Trails Initiative Report
See the Multi-Use Trail Initiative, a report on multi-use trail master planning, prioritization, and funding.
