Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

Happy Halloween from the festive Natural Heritage team! 🕷️🪲🦇

NBC News recently visited Natural Tunnel State Park to interview Ethan Howes, the ranger who led the initiative to install EnChroma, Inc. viewfinders at every Virginia State Park. 👀🌈🍁 Colorblind visitors now have a chance to view the vibrant fall foliage this season. 👏 🎥 Watch the coverage here: https://lnkd.in/epBb22c4 📰 Read the coverage here: https://lnkd.in/esSxJszz

Spotlight 🔦 Two fellows are working with the Office of Resilience Planning at DCR to build flood resilience in Virginia while gaining practical experience in planning and public policy. Left: Gabrielle Rosario (University of Virginia B.A. 2023 M.P.P. 2024) is a Virginia Sea Grant Coastal and Marine Policy Post Graduate Fellow working to develop and begin implementing an Adaptive Management Plan for the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan. Right: Ellie Plisko (University of Tampa B.S. 2023 & Virginia Commonwealth University MURP 2026) is a VCU Wilder Graduate Scholar Fellow working to develop a strategy for enhancing the delivery of capacity building and technical assistance for flood resilience to under-resourced local governments. Learn about DCR's work in the Office of Resilience Planning here: https://lnkd.in/ei4vU9zN 📷 The photo was taken in front of a flood gate that is part of the Richmond floodwall system - a series of gates and portals that can be closed in the event of high water levels.

Are there plants in your yard that are on DCR’s updated invasive plant species list? 🤔 Swap in a Virginia native plant to support local wildlife and biodiversity. Here are suggestions from experts in Virginia's Soil and Water Conservation Districts. 🌱 More here: https://lnkd.in/e8by2gQd

Good Fire! 🔥 It was a successful burn season for Virginia State Parks this spring. Park rangers utilize prescribed fire (aka good fire) to promote ecosystem health. These controlled burns are used to achieve specific goals like oak regeneration in forests, improved grasslands and habitat restoration. 🌱 Prescribed fire also reduces the risk of wildfires, by removing available fuel, such as dead trees and leaves. Years of excessive fire suppression have left many species and ecosystems that rely on intermittent fire in poor condition, and have left forests primed for extreme, out-of-control wildfires. 🚒 By mimicking natural fire, prescribed burns allow these species to once again thrive, and forests to return to their natural regenerative cycles from when they had regular, low-intensity fires. 📷 Parks pictured and photographer: 1-Staunton River State Park, by District 5 Resource Specialist Reed Stanley 2-Powhatan State Park, also by Reed Stanley 3-Holliday Lake State Park, by State Parks Planning Assistant Catherine Mcguigan 4-James River State Park, by District 3 Resource Specialist Al Cire ⚠️ BTW Fall fire season is here, until November 30! Reminders for safe campfires at Virginia State Parks: - Campfires are only allowed within a provided fire ring or grill (not allowed at False Cape State Park) - Never leave your campfire unattended - Fully extinguish your campfire: drown, stir, ensure it's cool, repeat as necessary More tips from Virginia Department of Forestry

Here's a look into a freshwater mussel survey being conducted by DCR's Natural Heritage Program in the South Anna River, home to the common Eastern elliptio (Elliptio complanata). 📋 The data gathered helps validate DCR's new map that predicts freshwater mussel habitat across Virginia’s part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. 🗺️ This work was funded through a Chesapeake WILD grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in a partnership between DCR and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/euYY2wS3 Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

UPDATE: Remember the experiment last spring to hand-pollinate the flowers of rare pondspice (Litsea aestivalis) shrubs? 7️⃣ fruit have successfully matured! They were harvested in September to be handed off to the North Carolina Botanical Garden. Experts there will grow them into seedlings for planting back into the tiny source population. New efforts were necessary to prevent the globally rare species from going extinct at Grafton Ponds Natural Area Preserve, where there were only two female plants. Pollen was harvested from male spicebush flowers about 50 miles away. Read more on this here: https://lnkd.in/eSYTefpu Photo 1 from the spring, when Zach Bradford was hand pollinating. Photo 2 of the fruit, taken last month by Zach Bradford.

If you plan to go to the State Fair of Virginia (happening through Oct. 6) then come see us in the Farm Bureau Center's Natural Resources Area. We are here with Virginia State Parks and the Virginia Soil & Water Conservation Districts. Come ask us questions, learn and find out about DCR careers!

If you believe myths like, "I don't need flood insurance because I live in a low-risk area."; "Flood insurance is too expensive."; or "My homeowners or renters insurance policy covers flood damage.” We are here to give you the facts in this new article, Fact-checking 3 myths about flood insurance: https://lnkd.in/eVKrNaQa

⚠️ Due to Hurricane Helene, numerous Virginia Natural Area Preserves and Virginia State Parks are closed or partially closed. Know before you go, find the most up to date information here: https://lnkd.in/eEUS4x_D For your safety as well as the safety of park staff and emergency response workers, please do not attempt to access areas or parks that have been closed.