Commending the Virginia Outdoors Foundation.

Commending the Virginia Outdoors Foundation.
Agreed to by the Senate, February 26, 2026
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 2, 2026
WHEREAS, for 60 years, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation has served Virginians by preserving and protecting forestland, farmland, parkland, and other open spaces; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation was established by the General Assembly in 1966 to promote the preservation of open-space lands and to encourage private gifts of money, securities, land, or other property to preserve the natural, scenic, historic, scientific, and recreational areas of the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation works collaboratively with federal, state, and local agencies to implement public policies related to the protection of the Commonwealth's natural and cultural resources for future generations; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation builds partnerships with the private sector to promote voluntary participation in programs that further the Commonwealth's land conservation goals; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation has earned the Commonwealth recognition as a national leader in the conservation of private lands through voluntary programs; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation plays a vital role in supporting the agriculture, forestry, and tourism industries and contributes to a high quality of life for all Virginians; and
WHEREAS, since 1966, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation has protected nearly one million acres of farmland, forestland, and other open spaces, all of which represent the Commonwealth's natural and cultural heritage; and
WHEREAS, these lands help to protect more than 425,000 acres of the highest quality farm soils, 4,000 miles of streams and rivers, 300 historic resources listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and approximately 220 miles of designated scenic roads, 110 miles of designated scenic rivers, and 220 miles of designated hiking and biking trails; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation owns more than 3,500 acres of land, including House Mountain Reserve in Rockbridge County and Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve in Fauquier and Prince William counties, which are managed as open-space reserves for public recreation, education, and wildlife habitat; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation played a key role in the creation and expansion of numerous public lands across the Commonwealth, including Leesylvania State Park, Belle Isle State Park, Sky Meadows State Park, Hayfields State Park, Crawfords State Forest, Charlotte State Forest, and Short Hills Wildlife Management Area, among others; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation has contributed approximately one third of the land conserved in the six-state Chesapeake Bay watershed since the signing of the Chesapeake 2000 agreement; and
WHEREAS, 97 percent of Virginians live within 10 miles of land protected by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, demonstrating its far-reaching impact and direct contributions to everyday life in the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Virginia Outdoors Foundation on the occasion of its 60th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Virginia Outdoors Foundation as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the organization's outstanding commitment to the conservation of the Commonwealth's natural, historical, and cultural resources.