Department of Conservation and Recreation
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Department of Conservation and Recreation
Media inquiries: Please contact Dave Neudeck, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov, 804-786-5053.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: February 12, 2019
Contact: Julie Buchanan, Senior Public Relations and Marketing Specialist, 804-786-2292, julie.buchanan@dcr.virginia.gov
Virginia releases comprehensive plan for outdoor recreation, land conservation
RICHMOND — Virginia has published a new statewide plan for connecting people with the outdoors and conserving the natural, scenic and cultural resources that define the commonwealth.
The Virginia Outdoors Plan is issued every five years by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and can be downloaded at www.dcr.virginia.gov/vop.
The theme is “Bringing Virginia the Benefits of Outdoor Recreation.”
“The Virginia Outdoors Plan helps all levels of government and the private sector meet the needs of Virginia’s growing and diverse population,” Secretary of Natural Resources Matthew J. Strickler said. “This edition highlights the immense benefits we gain from the outdoors — mental and physical health, a connection to nature and a strong tourism economy, to name a few.”
The plan provides recommendations for projects that would enhance access to outdoor recreation in each of Virginia’s 21 planning districts. It also addresses the impacts of climate change and sea-level rise, encouraging investment in green infrastructure and the conservation of critical landscapes.
“Planning for conservation is vital to protecting the community assets we all share, such as water quality, biodiversity, scenic and historic resources, and working farms and forestlands,” DCR Director Clyde E. Cristman said. “The Virginia Outdoors Plan provides links to a variety of conservation tools to assist planners with this work.”
Included in the plan are results of a statewide survey of Virginians’ outdoor recreation activity and preferences. The survey was administered by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia. It was mailed to 14,000 households, and 3,252 responded.
Select findings from the survey:
— Virginians have a high regard for the importance of outdoor recreation opportunities and a strong commitment to the protection of natural areas. The survey finds strong support for public funding and public management of lands in pursuit of the protection of natural areas and the availability of public access to those areas.
— Seventy percent of respondents consider access to outdoor recreation “very important.”
— The top four outdoor recreation activities in Virginia are: visiting natural areas (71 percent); driving for pleasure (67 percent); walking for pleasure (67 percent); and visiting state or national parks (56 percent).
— Fifty-four percent of respondents cited access to natural areas as the most needed outdoor recreation opportunity with parks (49 percent), water access (49 percent) and trails (43 percent) rounding out the top four.
Publication of the Virginia Outdoors Plan is required for Virginia to participate in the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund program. Since the program’s inception more than 50 years ago, Virginia has received upwards of $76 million in LWCF grants through the National Park Service. DCR disperses these funds statewide for public outdoor recreation. More than 400 projects across the state have been made possible with this funding.
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