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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: April 21, 2021
Contact: Starr Anderson, Public Relations and Marketing Specialist, 540-460-1540, starr.anderson@dcr.virginia.gov

Sky Meadows State Park wins Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award
Sensory Explorers’ Trail is a Bronze Medal Winner

(Editors: Follow this link to download an image. Photo caption: Sensory Trail at Sky Meadows State Park)

RICHMOND – The Sensory Explorers’ Trail at Sky Meadows State Park is the Bronze Medal winner of a 2021 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award for the category of implementation of the Virginia Outdoors Plan.

The awards recognize the significant contributions of environmental and conservation leaders in four categories: sustainability, environmental project, land conservation and implementation of the Virginia Outdoors Plan.

The Sensory Explorers' Trail provides visitors a way to engage their senses in the exploration of the natural world. An important part of the trail is an easily navigable tactile pathway and an audio tour that make this trail accessible for the blind and visually impaired. Print books make the audio available to the hearing impaired.

The 0.3 mile loop trail provides an excellent opportunity to experience the serenity and beauty of nature, and a unique opportunity to delve more fully into the special place that is Sky Meadows State Park.

“Sky Meadows State Park is indebted to the Shenandoah Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists for propelling this resource to creation,” Park Manager Kevin Bowman said. “Their dedication and hard work laid and continues to build upon, a path for individuals of all abilities to explore and connect to the park's landscape and diversity of nature in a very tangible way.”

Laure Wallace, Shenandoah Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist, is the project manager for the trail and submitted the nomination for the award.

"Start with volunteers with a passion for natural resource stewardship, education and research; add partners with a shared vision and dedication to Virginia’s special places; and place them in the perfect natural setting, and you have magic,” Wallace said. “And VMN and the park share another important vision, one where everyone can share in the wonders of nature. By making this trail easily accessible and providing adaptations for the blind, visually and hearing impaired, we also paved the way for our next adaption for those on the autism spectrum. We believe that the benefits of the time we spend in nature are profound and that we should all be able to share in them."

The award-winning Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.

For more information about Virginia State Parks’ activities and amenities or to make reservations in one of the more than 1,800 campsites or 300 climate-controlled cabins, call the Virginia State Parks Reservation Center at 800-933-PARK or visit www.virginiastateparks.gov

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