The Virginia Outdoors Plan is the state’s official document regarding land conservation, outdoor recreation and open space planning. It helps all levels of the public and private sectors meet needs pertaining to those issues. The plan provides guidance for the protection of lands through actions of the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation (VLCF), and the plan is required in order for Virginia to take part in the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) program. The 2007 edition of the Virginia Outdoors Plan (VOP) is the ninth written in accordance with §10.1-200 of the Code of Virginia.

Public input meetings on the 2013 VOP

Beginning in December, planners with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation will conduct meetings across the state to gather public input for the 2013 Virginia Outdoors Plan. Meetings will be held at 3 and 7 p.m. on each of the dates listed below. DCR also will accept written comments. Email comments to janit.llewellyn@dcr.virginia.gov or mail them to:

VOP Comments
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
203 Governor St., Suite 326
Richmond, VA 23219

Meeting dates

Dec. 13
Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (PD6)
112 MacTanly Place
Staunton, VA 24401
Contact: Lynn Crump 804-786-5054

Jan. 9
Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Council (PD9)
420 Southridge Parkway, Suite 106
Culpeper, VA 22701
Contact: Bill Conkle 804-786-5492

Jan. 19
Crater Planning District Commission (PD19)
1964 Wakefield St.
Petersburg, VA 23805
Contact: Bill Conkle 804-786-5492

Jan. 23
Southside Planning District Commission (PD13)
200 South Mecklenburg Ave.
South Hill, VA 23970
Contact: Bill Conkle 804-786-5492

Jan. 25
Northern Virginia Regional Commission (PD8)
3060 Williams Drive, Suite 510
Fairfax, VA 22031
Contact: Janit Llewellyn Allen 804-786-0887

Jan. 26
George Washington Regional Commission (PD16)
406 Princess Anne St.
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Contact: Bill Conkle 804-786-5492

Feb. 1
Northern Neck Planning District Commission (PD17)
457 Main St.
Warsaw, VA 22572
Contact: Andrea Almond 804-786-9042

Feb. 7
New River Valley Competitiveness Center
New River Room
6580 Valley Center Drive
Radford, VA 24141
Contact: Lynn Crump 804-786-5054

Feb. 8
Mount Rogers Planning District Commission (PD3)
1021 Terrace Drive
Marion, VA 24354
Contact: Lynn Crump 804-786-5054

Feb. 8
Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission (PD18)
125 Bowden St.
Saluda, VA 23149
Contact: Janit Llewellyn Allen 804-786-0887

Feb. 13
Richmond Regional Planning District Commission (PD15)
9211 Forest Hill Ave., Suite 200
Richmond, VA 23235
Contact: Bill Conkle 804-786-5492

Feb. 16
Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission (PD22)
23372 Front St.
Accomac, VA 23301
Contact: Janit Llewellyn Allen 804-786-0887

Feb. 16
Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission (PD7)
Main Conference Room
400 E. Kendrick Lane
Front Royal, VA 22630
Contact: Jennifer Wampler 804-786-9240

Feb. 22
West Piedmont Planning District Commission (PD12)
Henry County Administration Building, Board Room,
3300 Kings Mountain Road
Collinsville, VA 24078
Contact: Lynn Crump 804-786-5054

March 1
Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (PD23)
723 Woodlake Drive
Chesapeake, VA 23320
Contact: Janit Llewellyn Allen 804-786-0887

March 8
Roanoke Valley/Alleghany Regional Commission (PD5)
313 Luck Ave., SW
Roanoke, VA 24010
Contact: Jennifer Wampler 804-786-9240

March 13
Virginia’s Heartland Commonwealth Regional Council (PD14)
One Mill St., Suite 101 (Mill Room)
Farmville, VA 23901
Contact: Jennifer Wampler 804-786-9240

March 15
Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (PD10)
Water Street Center (1 block off Downtown Mall)
407 E. Water St.
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Contact: Jennifer Wampler 804-786-9240

March 21
Lenowisco Planning District Commission (PD1)
372 Technology Trail Lane, Suite 101
Duffield, VA 24244
Contact: Lynn Crump 804-786-6140

March 22
Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commission (PD2)
224 Clydesway Road
Lebanon, VA 24266
Contact: Lynn Crump 804-786-5054

March 29
Region 2000 Partnership (PD11)
Lynchburg Public Library (Community Room)
2315 Memorial Ave.
Lynchburg, VA 24501
Contact: Jennifer Wampler 804-786-9240

2007 Virginia Outdoors Plan

Those interested in the 2007 plan would also find the 2006 Virginia Outdoors Survey (PDF) valuable. It covers citizens' outdoor recreation activities, park user preferences and opinions on natural resources and conservation. The survey is used extensively in developing the VOP.

The files below are PDF documents. You’ll need Adobe’s free Acrobat Reader to view and print them. (Some files are large and ill-suited for dial-up connections.) You may also obtain the entire VOP on CD for a nominal price by calling (804) 786-5046 or emailing beth.reed@dcr.virginia.gov.

Click here to download the entire document at once (PDF, 38MB). Otherwise, click below to download particular content. Click here to order the document from our online store or click here to download a form to order the VOP in hard copy form or on a CD.

• Cover
• Foreword
• Table of Contents
• Chapter I: Vision for Virginia's Outdoors
• Chapter II: Outdoor Recreation Issues, Trends and Survey Findings
• Chapter III: Land Conservation
• Chapter IV: Green Infrastructure
• Chapter V: Economic Benefits of Recreation, Tourism and Open Space
• Chapter VI: Grant Opportunities for Outdoor Recreation, Open Space
• Chapter VII: Outdoor Recreation Programs and Initiatives
  • Introduction
  • Greenways and Trails
  • Blueways and Water Access
  • Historic and Landscape Resources
  • Scenic Resources
  • Scenic Highways, Virginia Byways
  • Scenic Rivers
  • Virginia Watersheds: The Chesapeake and Southern Rivers
  • Environmental and Land Stewardship Education
• Chapter VIII: Outdoor Recreation Planning and Other Related Issues
  • Changing Demographics and their Impact on Recreation Resources
  • Carrying Capacity of Outdoor Recreation Resources and Lands
  • Conservation and Outdoor Ethics
  • Crime Prevention in Public Spaces
  • Health
  • Impact of Climate Change on Outdoor Recreation
• Chapter IX: Resource Agencies
  • Introduction
  • A. Federal
    • National Parks
    • National Forests
    • National Wildlife Refuges, Fish Hatcheries
  • B. State
    • State Parks
    • State Fish and Wildlife Management Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
    • Virginia Marine Resources Commission
    • State Forests, Department of Forestry
    • Natural Areas, Natural Heritage Resources
    • Transportation Programs
  • C. Other Federal and State Lands
  • D. Local and Regional Parks and Open Spaces
  • E. Private Sector
• Chapter X: Regional Analysis/Recommendations
  • Introduction
  • PD 1 Lenowisco
  • PD 2 Cumberland
  • PD 3 Mount Rogers
  • PD 4 New River Valley
  • PD 5 Roanoke Valley/Alleghany
  • PD 6 Central Shenandoah
  • PD 7 Northern Shenandoah Valley
  • PD 8 Northern Virginia
  • PD 9 Rappahannock-Rapidan
  • PD 10 Thomas Jefferson
  • PD 11 Region 2000 Regional Commission
  • PD 12 West Piedmont
  • PD 13 Southside
  • PD 14 Piedmont
  • PD 15 Richmond Regional
  • PD 16 George Washington Regional Commission
  • PD 17 Northern Neck
  • PD 18 Middle Peninsula
  • PD 19 Crater
  • PD 22 Accomack-Northampton
  • PD 23 Hampton Roads
• Appendices
  • Appendix A. Legislative Authority for Virginia Outdoors Plan
    
  • Appendix B. Organizational References
    
  • Appendix C. Guidelines for Outdoor Recreation Planning
    
  • Appendix D. Demand, Supply and Need for Outdoor Recreation Areas
    
  • Appendix E. Trail Survey Results
    
  • Appendix F. Environmental Review Process
    
  • Appendix G. Virginia's Wildlife Action Plan
    
  • Appendix H. Virginia’s United Land Trusts (VaULT) Strategic Plan
    
  • Appendix I. Americans with Disabilities Act
    
  • Appendix J. Wetlands
    
  • Appendix K. National Park Service Partnership Programs in Virginia
• All references are at the end of each major chapter
• Glossary
• Index and Acknowledgements