News Releases
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Image | Title | ID | Description | Date | Content Type | hf:tax:document-category | hf:tax:document-tags | |
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News Release: Virginia Department of Forestry Online Seedling Store Opens | Visit BuyVATrees.com to browse 57 seedling species. | 10/07/2024 | News Releases | View | nurseries | seedling-nurseries seedling-sales seedlings | ||
News Release: Blacksburg Callery Exchange Saturday, November 2 | Building on the success of a similar event in Charlottesville last April, a one-day tree exchange event will be held in Blacksburg on Saturday, Nov. 2, to incentivize the removal of up to three Callery pear trees from your property. | 09/30/2024 | News Releases | View | forest-health | callery-pear callery-pear-exchange | ||
News Release: Enjoy Virginia’s Peak Colors with a Fall Foliage Driving Tour | Want to get out and enjoy Virginia’s fall colors? To help you get started, the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) uses historical data and current reports from staff statewide to track and report foliage conditions on our website and social media. | 09/25/2024 | News Releases | View | fall-foliage recreation | |||
News Release: You Collect ‘Em, We Accept ‘Em | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is asking you to collect acorns and nuts and drop them off at your local DOF office. | 09/09/2024 | News Releases | View | ||||
State Agencies Provide Update on Spongy Moth Infestation and Treatment Activities in Virginia | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) are joining forest health professionals across the Commonwealth to monitor the invasive spongy moth (formerly known as the Gypsy Moth). Long established in Virginia, the caterpillar with a voracious appetite favors oak trees but will also feed on many types of hardwoods. In areas with large infestations, the caterpillars can strip entire mountainsides of foliage. | 07/02/2024 | News Releases | View | forest-health | forest-health-impacts spongy-moth | ||
Virginia Department of Forestry Protects More Than 1,000 Homes and Structures This Spring Fire Season | During Virginia’s spring fire season this year (Feb. 15 to April 30), Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) firefighters – working alongside numerous local, state and federal partners – responded to 411 wildfires that burned nearly 20,000 acres, the most burned during a spring fire season in the last 30 years. For comparison, during the 2023 spring fire season, 330 wildfires burned 2,174 acres. | 05/23/2024 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | |||
New Virginia Department of Forestry Program Provides Free Riparian Buffers | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is announcing a new program that provides landowners free, flexible riparian forest buffer installation plus one year of maintenance. The Riparian Forests for Landowners (RFFL) program is a unique watershed-based partnership including DOF, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Friends of the Rappahannock, James River Association, Terra Habitats LLC, and York River Steward. | 05/15/2024 | News Releases | View | watershed | |||
Firefighter Tragedy in Scott County | At approximately 5 p.m. on March 30, a Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) part-time firefighter died while fighting a three-acre wildfire on Garland Drive | 03/31/2024 | News Releases | View | ||||
Charlottesville Callery Pear Exchange Saturday, April 20 | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is rolling out a new exchange program to help slow the spread of Callery pears from the urban landscape into our natural areas. DOF’s new Callery Pear Exchange program incentivizes the removal of up to three (3) Callery pear trees from your property to receive an equal number of native, young, healthy – and free – replacement trees. | 03/15/2024 | News Releases | View | forest-health | callery-pear-exchange invasive-species | ||
Throwing Shade VA Program Grows to 13 Retail Nursery Locations | You asked, we listened: Discounted native plants are now available at more retail nursery locations across Virginia. Following a successful pilot program last spring, the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is expanding the Throwing Shade Virginia program to partner with more nurseries this year. | 03/05/2024 | News Releases | View | throwing-shade-va throwing-shade-va-program | |||
Applications Now Open for the 76th Camp Woods and Wildlife | Applications are now open for the 76th annual Camp Woods and Wildlife to be held June 17-21 at the Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center near Appomattox. Hosted by the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF), the camp offers an action-packed week in the woods for approximately 60 youth campers. | 02/23/2024 | News Releases | View | education public-information | camp-woods-and-wildlife education | ||
Virginia Enters Spring Fire Season | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) joins fire departments across Virginia to announce spring fire season and raise awareness of the statewide burning law, in effect from Feb. 15 through April 30. The law prohibits outdoor burning before 4 p.m. when the fire is within 300 feet of the woods or dry grass. | 02/13/2024 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | fire-season wildfire-prevention | ||
New Multi-Use Trail Opens at Charlotte State Forest | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) has opened the Charlotte Multi-Use Recreational Trail at Charlotte State Forest in Charlotte County. Featuring both northern and southern loops, the trail showcases 8.5 miles of beautiful forests and wetlands in a rough “figure 8” shape path. The trail is suitable for hiking, wildlife observation, mountain biking and horseback riding. | 02/06/2024 | News Releases | View | state-forests state-lands forest-management | state-forest-recreation | ||
Now Accepting Project Proposals for Riparian Forests for Landowners Program | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) has issued a request for proposal (RFP) for Riparian Forests for Landowners Program (RFFL) project funding. RFFL is DOF’s new statewide, flexible landowner assistance program that helps landowners meet riparian forest buffer needs and fill gaps in assistance not supplied by other programs. | 01/11/2024 | News Releases | View | financial-assistance-water-quality water-quality | riparian-forest-buffers | ||
Virginia’s Fall Fire Season Ends After Extreme Fire Activity | During this year’s fall fire season, which ran from Oct. 15 to Nov. 30, the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) responded to 156 wildfires that burned nearly 25,000 acres and damaged 13 structures. | 12/08/2023 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | fire-season wildfire-suppression | ||
Update on Virginia Wildfires | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) continues to respond to several wildfires across central and southwest Virginia. Since the start of Virginia’s fall | 11/16/2023 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | wildfire | ||
Throwing Shade VA Program is Growing | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is pleased to announce that the Throwing Shade VA program, which offers discounts on native trees and shrubs, is growing. In 2024, DOF will expand participation to 10 retail nurseries. | 11/14/2023 | News Releases | View | financial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry urban-and-community-forestry | throwing-shade-va-program | ||
Virginia Department of Forestry and Partners Continue to Fight Wildfires | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) continues to battle several wildfires in central and southwest Virginia. The largest fire remains in Madison County (Quaker Run Road) with several fires confirmed in the western region of the state. | 11/09/2023 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | |||
Governor Glenn Youngkin Declares State of Emergency to Enable Assistance for Wildfires in Two Counties | Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency to assist firefighter response efforts on two wildfires around the state due to dry conditions and high winds, both of which are common during the ongoing fall fire season. These fires may continue to pose a threat to public health and safety. Specifically, two fires—the Quaker Run Fire in Madison County and the Tuggles Gap fire in Patrick County—broke containment lines over the weekend. Additional resources are required to contain these fires and respond to additional fires as necessary. | 11/07/2023 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | |||
Executive Order 29 – Declaration of a State of Emergency Due to Wildfires or the Potential Thereof, Throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia | Executive Order 29 – The Commonwealth of Virginia is experiencing multiple wildfires around the state due to extremely dry conditions and high winds, both of which are common during the ongoing fall fire season. These fires have and may continue to pose a significant threat to public health and safety. Specifically, two fires – the Quaker Run Fire in Madison County and the Tuggles Gap Fire in Patrick County – broke containment lines in recent days. | 11/07/2023 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | |||
Progress Made in Containing Madison County Wildfire | Firefighters from the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) and partner departments continue containment efforts on the now 390-acre Quaker Run Fire that began Tuesday in Madison County near Syria. | 10/28/2023 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | wildfire wildfire-suppression | ||
DOF Working to Contain Madison County Wildfire | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) continues to respond to a wildfire that began Tuesday in Madison County near Syria. The 125-acre fire is located on private land that is steep and difficult to access, which has made containment efforts difficult. | 10/27/2023 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | wildfire wildfire-suppression | ||
Virginia’s Fall Fire Season Begins | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) reminds everyone that the fall fire season has arrived. From now through November, be extra careful when burning yard debris, or enjoying a campfire or backyard fire pit. | 10/17/2023 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | wildfire-prevention | ||
Forest Products Week in Virginia October 16-20 | Governor Glenn Youngkin has proclaimed Oct. 16-20 Forest Products Week in Virginia. The proclamation recognizes the numerous products that come from our forests, the vital role they play in our lives, and the more than 100,000 men and women in Virginia who work in the forest industry. | 10/16/2023 | News Releases | View | marketing-and-utilization | forest-products | ||
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Acorns | Collect, label and drop acorns at any DOF office by Oct. 16. Each fall, acorns cover Virginia’s forests, yards, parking lots and sidewalks. However, most of these acorns won’t grow into trees. That’s where you and the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) come in. | 09/18/2023 | News Releases | View | nurseries | acorns-nuts | ||
Applications Now Open: Urban and Community Forestry Grant Assistance Program | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF), in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (USFS), announces the availability of grant funding for the 2023 installment of the Urban and Community Forestry (U&CF) Grant Assistance Program. This program is designed to encourage community projects that promote the protection and enhancement of urban and community forest ecosystems across the Commonwealth. Virginia received a total allocation of $6,600,000, distributed over a four-year period, grants may be awarded to civic groups, communities, local governments, tribal organizations, non-profit organizations, neighborhood associations, public educational institutions, and state agencies. | 09/11/2023 | News Releases | View | financial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry urban-and-community-forestry | community-assistance community-resources ucf-grant-program | ||
Upcoming Workshops Help Virginia Landowners with Legacy Planning | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) and the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) encourage landowners to make plans – now – for passing on land to the next generation. The Generation NEXT program, a collaboration between DOF and VCE, helps Virginia landowners with legacy planning to keep forests intact, in forest, and in family. | 09/08/2023 | News Releases | View | forestland-conservation | forest-legacy generation-next landowner-resources | ||
Virginia Department of Forestry Announces $500,000 Available through Virginia Trees for Clean Water Grant Program | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) has announced the availability of approximately $500,000 in grant funding through the end of 2023 for the Virginia Trees for Clean Water (VTCW) Grant Program. Supported by the Virginia Water Quality Improvement Fund, the VTCW Grant Program is designed to improve water quality across Virginia by encouraging tree-planting efforts where they are needed most and raise awareness of their benefits. | 08/18/2023 | News Releases | View | financial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry urban-and-community-forestry | va-trees-for-clean-water-program | ||
Virginia Department of Forestry Incentivizes Hardwood Management | Hardwood Initiative cost-share and tax credit programs now available. Virginia’s invaluable hardwood forests provide clean air and water, recreation, wildlife habitat, and raw materials used for a wide variety of products. To maximize these benefits and ensure a healthy, sustainable hardwood resource, the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) has established the Hardwood Initiative to promote quality management practices. | 07/18/2023 | News Releases | View | financial-assistance-forest-management forest-management | hardwood-initiative hardwood-initiative-cost-share-program hardwood-initiative-tax-credit hardwood-management | ||
Media Alert: 2023 Interagency Wildland Fire Academy | During this annual academy, wildland firefighters and other emergency responders from many agencies and states learn how to respond to wildfires and other disasters. Students also build their field skills with courses such as bulldozer and chainsaw operation. Friday, May 26, 2023, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. RSVP by Tuesday, May 23 | 05/19/2023 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | wildfire-training | ||
Virginia Department of Forestry Joins Virginia Nurseries to Launch ‘Throwing Shade VA’ | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is partnering with three Virginia nurseries to launch a new pilot program featuring discounts on native trees and shrubs. “Throwing Shade VA” helps nurseries promote native trees through customer discounts of $25 on eligible trees valued at $50 or more. | 05/04/2023 | News Releases | View | urban-and-community-forestry | throwing-shade-va | ||
Emerald Ash Borer Cost Share Now Available | Applications are now open for the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) Emerald Ash Borer Cost-Share Program, which offers cost reimbursement for treating ash trees to protect from the invasive emerald ash borer. Landowners and organizations (including municipalities, not-for-profits, educational institutions and homeowner associations) can apply until June 16. | 05/03/2023 | News Releases | View | financial-assistance-forest-health forest-health | emerald-ash-borer eabt-program | ||
Prevent Spring Wildfires Before They Start | With spring fully underway, the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) wishes to remind Virginians that the 4 p.m. burning law, which restricts open-air burning of any kind until after 4 p.m., remains in effect through April 30. | 04/05/2023 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | 4pm-burning-law wildfire-prevention | ||
Applications Open for 75th Camp Woods and Wildlife | Applications are now open for the 75th annual Camp Woods and Wildlife to be held June 19-23 at the Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center near Appomattox. This activity-packed camp is hosted by the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) with support and cooperation from natural resource agencies, organizations and businesses. | 03/16/2023 | News Releases | View | education public-information | camp | ||
Statement of Virginia Department of Forestry Tragedy | At approximately 8:30 p.m. on March 9, a Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) employee was killed while fighting a 15-acre wildfire along Lester’s Fork Road near the Roseann community in Buchanan County. | 03/10/2023 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response human-resources | wildfire-suppression | ||
Virginia’s Spring Fire Season Begins | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) joins fire departments throughout the Commonwealth to raise awareness about fire safety this spring. Due to weather conditions, available “fuel,” and increased recreational activity, the possibility of wildfires surges this time of year. Last week, several wildfires were contained in western regions of the state. | 02/14/2023 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | wildfire-prevention | ||
One Million Dollars in Forest Sustainability Funding Awarded to 68 Localities Across Virginia | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) has announced the awardees for the 2022 Forest Sustainability Fund. One million dollars will be distributed proportionately to 68 Virginia localities to partially offset the reduced real estate tax revenue that results from forestland use taxation. The localities will be able to use these funds for public education, outdoor recreation, or forest conservation. | 12/21/2022 | News Releases | View | financial-assistance-forest-management forest-management forestland-conservation | forest-sustainability-fund | ||
Governor Youngkin Details New Economic Impact Study of Virginia Agriculture and Forestry | During the recent Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced the results of an economic impact study from the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. Concluding in October, the research found that in 2021, the total economic impact of Virginia agriculture and forestry industries was over $105 billion in total industry output. This total represents an estimated 11.2 percent of entire state’s output. In addition, the total employment influence for these two Virginia industries was 490,295 employees, representing 9.4 percent of total state employment. | 12/13/2022 | News Releases | View | marketing-and-utilization | forest-economics | ||
Virginia’s Active Fall Fire Season Concludes | During this year’s fall fire season, wildfires burned more than 2,650 acres and damaged nine homes and structures across the Commonwealth. Suppression efforts by the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) and our firefighter partners are credited with saving more than 150 homes and other buildings, with an estimated protected value of more than $25 million. | 12/02/2022 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | wildfire-prevention wildfire-suppression | ||
DOF Establishes 200th Conservation Easement | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) has announced the creation of its 200th conservation easement in the Commonwealth of Virginia. With the addition of the 1,428-acre property in Wise County known as Pine Mountain, DOF has now protected 91,597 acres of land, 84,112 acres of forest and nearly 460 miles of streams and rivers. | 11/01/2022 | News Releases | View | forestland-conservation | conservation conservation-easements | ||
Don’t Move Firewood, Virginia | As the days turn cooler and shorter, many Virginians are using firewood to keep warm and spend quality time with friends and family. While seemingly harmless, moving firewood can enable the easy movement of destructive forest and agricultural pests. When firewood is moved from one area to another, the invasive emerald ash borer, spongy moth, Asian longhorned beetle, and spotted lanternfly often “hitchhike” to destroy crops, infect more trees and sometimes even entire forests. | 10/18/2022 | News Releases | View | forest-health | emerald-ash-borer firewood invasive-species invasive-species-control | ||
Fall Wildfire Season is Here | Virginia’s fall wildfire season begins Oct. 15. The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) reminds everyone to be extra careful when burning yard debris, or enjoying a campfire or backyard fire pit. | 10/14/2022 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | wildfire-prevention | ||
Online Seedling Store Now Open | Every October the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) offers a wide variety of trees for purchase through its online seedling store. Bred specifically for Virginia’s soils and climate, seedlings are grown and sold directly from the agency’s self-supporting nurseries. | 10/12/2022 | News Releases | View | nurseries | seedling-sales seedlings | ||
Intermittent Closings at Whitney State Forest for Logging Operations | Beginning this month, the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) will conduct intermittent closures of the Whitney State Forest in Fauquier County for ongoing logging operations. Timber harvest activities of mature loblolly pine, yellow-poplar and black walnut will be occurring across an 18-acre area of the forest over the next several months. | 10/07/2022 | News Releases | View | state-forests | whitney-sf | ||
Enjoy Virginia’s Peak Colors with a Fall Foliage Driving Tour | Want to get out and enjoy Virginia’s fall foliage? To help you get started, the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) collects information on when and where to see the best of autumn’s vibrant colors across the Commonwealth. The agency recommends several driving tours with routes covering parts of northern, western and central Virginia. The fall foliage tours map can be found on DOF’s website. | 10/05/2022 | News Releases | View | public-information | fall fall-foliage recreation | ||
$160 Million Available to Help Communities Prepare for Wildfires | Applications are now open for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG), a federal grant created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The grant is intended to help at-risk, local communities and tribes prepare and mitigate against the risk created by wildfire. | 09/26/2022 | News Releases | View | financial-assistance-fire-and-emergency-response fire-and-emergency-response | community-assistance community-wildfire-defense-grant cost-share-programs wildfire-prevention | ||
Acorn Collection Season is Here | As the temperatures finally start to drop and we begin our transition into fall, foresters and staff at the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) will soon be busy gathering and sorting this year’s acorn crop in preparation for growing the next generation of trees. | 09/08/2022 | News Releases | View | nurseries | acorns-nuts | ||
Virginia Department of Forestry and Virginia Cooperative Extension Host Beginning Woodland Owners Retreat | Eastern Virginia landowners new to forest land ownership or forest management are invited to the annual Beginning Woodland Owners’ Retreat, which will be held on September 9-10 at the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) New Kent Conference Center near Providence Forge. | 08/09/2022 | News Releases | View | education forest-management public-information | education landowner-assistance landowner-resources | ||
Virginia Department of Forestry Announces $900,000 Available Through the Virginia Trees for Clean Water Grant Program | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) has announced the availability of approximately $900,000 in grant funding through the current cycle of the Virginia Trees for Clean Water (VTCW) Grant Program. Supported by the Virginia Water Quality Improvement Fund, the VTCW Grant Program is designed to improve water quality across Virginia by encouraging tree-planting efforts where they are needed most and raise awareness of their benefits. | 08/08/2022 | News Releases | View | financial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry urban-and-community-forestry | grant-programs va-trees-for-clean-water-program | ||
Landowner Legacy Planning Workshop | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) and the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) encourage landowners to make plans – now – for passing on their land to the next generation. The Generation NEXT program, a collaboration between DOF and VCE, helps Virginia landowners make plans to keep forests intact, in forest, and in family. | 08/01/2022 | News Releases | View | forestland-conservation | estate-planning generation-next landowner-assistance | ||
Gloucester County Confirmed as Latest Site of Emerald Ash Borer | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) has confirmed the presence of the emerald ash borer (also known as EAB), an invasive tree-killing insect, in Gloucester County. Since it was first identified in Virginia in 2008, this destructive forest pest – one of the worst to ever invade the U.S. – has destroyed millions of ash trees. The EAB has now been documented in nearly every county across the Commonwealth. | 07/14/2022 | News Releases | View | forest-health | emerald-ash-borer insects | ||
Virginia’s 4 PM Burning Law Starts Tomorrow | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) and fire departments throughout Virginia are reminding the public about the 4 p.m. burn ban, which begins Tuesday, February 15. The law prohibits burning before 4 p.m. if the fire is in or within 300 feet of woodlands, brush, or fields with dry grass and other flammable materials. | 02/14/2022 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | 4pm-burning-law burning wildfire-prevention | ||
Forest Legacy Expands Virginia Pineland Conservation Around Big Woods State Forest | Conservation of longleaf pine, endangered woodpeckers, and the Commonwealth’s managed forests recently received a boost from the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program (FLP), with the acquisition of more than 640 acres in Sussex County. Through a partnership between the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) and The Nature Conservancy (a private, non-profit conservation organization), the Nottoway Pinelands FLP project expands land holdings critical to longleaf pine forest and red-cockaded woodpecker recovery in Virginia. | 01/31/2022 | News Releases | View | forestland-conservation state-forests | big-woods-sf forest-legacy-program | ||
New Study Shows Threats and Opportunities for Virginia’s Coastal Forests | The Green Infrastructure Center (GIC) and the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) released a joint study of the benefits and threats facing Virginia’s coastal forests, “Resilient Coastal Forests of Virginia, Overcoming Challenges and Implementing Strategies for a Better Future.” Funded by the USDA Forest Service’s Southern Region, the GIC and DOF assisted coastal counties and cities with mapping their coastal forests, modeling benefits and evaluating threats they face along with strategies to mitigate or reverse impacts. | 04/21/2022 | News Releases | View | forest-management | coastal-resiliancy | ||
Ash Treatment Cost-Share Program | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is offering a cost-share program to support the treatment of ash trees. The emerald ash borer (EAB), one of the most destructive forest pests to ever invade North America, attacks ash trees and has already caused millions of dollars in damages as hundreds of millions of ash trees have perished. | 04/12/2022 | News Releases | View | financial-assistance-forest-health forest-health | emerald-ash-borer eabt-program | ||
Charlotte State Forest Opens for Recreational Use | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is pleased to announce that the Charlotte State Forest (Charlotte SF), 5,005 acres located in Charlotte County, will open to the public for recreational use beginning April 1, 2022 – just in time for the beautiful spring recreation weather in Virginia. | 03/28/2022 | News Releases | View | state-forests | charlotte-sf state-forest-recreation | ||
Extreme Caution Urged When Burning Debris | The “burn pile” is a common feature on many Virginia properties. Many people use fire as a means of getting rid of yard debris, especially after storms. However, debris burning without the proper precautions in place can lead to burn piles becoming wildfires. “We understand that burning leaves and sticks is a common way of cleaning up your yard. However, if you decide to burn your yard debris, there are certain precautions that should be taken,” said John Miller of the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF). | 02/07/2022 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | 4pm-burning-law burning storm-recovery wildfire-prevention | ||
Camp Woods & Wildlife Returns | Applications are open for Camp Woods & Wildlife, formerly known as Holiday Lake Forestry Camp. The 74th annual camp will be held June 20-24 at Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center near Appomattox. This action-packed camp is hosted by the Virginia Department of Forestry, with support and cooperation from other conservation agencies, organizations, businesses and individuals. | 01/20/2022 | News Releases | View | education public-information | camp education | ||
What to Know Before Burning Storm Debris | In the wake of recent storms that hit Virginia, officials with the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) are encouraging people to practice safe burning if and when they begin burning yard debris and blown down limbs and trees. The DOF regulates open burning and there are several rules, regulations, and tips that residents need to follow to stay safe, stay legal, and avoid undesirable impacts from smoke. From February 15th through the end of April, it is illegal to burn BEFORE 4 p.m. if you’re within 300 feet of woods or dry grass leading to the woods. | 01/12/2022 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | 4pm-burning-law burning storm-recovery wildfire-prevention | ||
Media Alert: Charlotte State Forest Dedication | Governor Ralph Northam, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring and State Forester Rob Farrell will dedicate the Commonwealth’s newest state forest, Charlotte State Forest, Thursday, November 4th, in Charlotte County. This dedication of Virginia’s 26th state forest demonstrates a cooperative effort that will benefit Virginia’s environment and communities. | 11/01/2021 | News Releases | View | forestland-conservation state-forests | charlotte-sf | ||
Governor Northam Signs Shared Stewardship Agreement with U.S. Department of Agriculture | The Governor and federal officials signed an historic Shared Stewardship agreement between the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States Department of Agriculture to coordinate a response to the increasing ecological challenges and natural resource concerns throughout Virginia. The memorandum of understanding establishes a framework for state and federal agencies to improve collaboration as they strive toward their mutual goals of reducing wildfire risk and taking action against threats to forest and ecosystem health. | 09/24/2021 | News Releases | View | forest-management state-lands | governor | ||
DOF Seeks Acorns/Nuts from Virginia Landowners | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is again seeking 12 species of acorns and nuts that can be planted at its Augusta Forestry Center [Crimora, Virginia] to grow into tree seedlings that will become the forests of tomorrow. | 09/02/2021 | News Releases | View | nurseries | acorns-nuts | ||
DOF Training Prepares Employees to Respond to Disaster at Home and Beyond | The Eastern Region of the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) will hold a “tractor-plow” training day for agency staff on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at the New Kent Forestry Center, 11301 Pocahontas Trail, Providence Forge, VA 23140. DOF tractor-plow units are bulldozers with fire-plows attached to the back that build firelines. This training will focus on basic elements of tractor-plow operations, to include learning to care for transport trucks and tractor-plows, driving the transport, unloading and loading the bulldozer, plowing and blading firelines, driving bulldozers through an obstacle course, and using a winch. | 09/23/2021 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response training human-resources | training wildfire-suppression | ||
Governor Northam Dedicates Virginia’s 26th State Forest | Governor Ralph Northam today announced the dedication of the Charlotte State Forest, opening the first publicly-accessible state land in Charlotte County. The 5,004 acre state forest is Virginia’s 26th state forest in the Commonwealth. The Virginia Department of Forestry will sustainably manage the forest under Sustainable Forestry Initiative and American Tree Farm Standards, conserving key habitat areas and providing new public access to outdoor recreation activities. | 11/04/2021 | News Releases | View | forestland-conservation state-forests | charlotte-sf forest-legacy-program governor | ||
The Fall Fire Season is Here | The 2021 Fire Season is upon us, and the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is urging Virginians to learn about Wildfire Prevention and to take precautions if they are planning to burn debris this fall. | 10/19/2021 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | wildfire-hazard wildfire-prevention | ||
Department of Forestry Sends Help to Battle Western Fires | As wildfire ravages many areas of the West this summer, Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) personnel from across the Commonwealth have accepted assignments to assist with fire suppression efforts. The Department has deployed thirty-nine people to serve as ground forces on fire line crews or as support staff in fire management roles throughout the west. DOF personnel are joining other Virginia firefighters from the USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. | 08/09/2021 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | emergency-response wildfire-suppression | ||
Forest Landowners Retreat to the Woods | Southwest Virginia landowners can learn more about actively managing their forestland during the Beginning Forest Landowners’ Retreat, planned for August 27-28, 2021 at the Matthews State Forest in Galax. | 05/27/2021 | News Releases | View | education forest-management public-information | camp forest-planning landowner-assistance landowner-resources | ||
Plan Before You Cut | For most people, selling timber is a once in a lifetime opportunity. People may choose to sell their timber for a variety reasons including financial/income, trees in poor health, providing access, among other reasons. For a forester, harvesting timber is only part of the equation. Having a plan for what will happen afterwards is the other, often missing, key component. Timber harvesting practices affect what grows back in the future, so plan your forest’s future before you cut. | 05/13/2021 | News Releases | View | forest-management | forest-planning timber-sales | ||
Elevated Fire Risk Today | The National Weather Service has elevated its forecast from a Wildfire Weather Watch to a Red Flag Warning in many places today. This increase is in reaction to a drop in humidity, warmer temperatures, dry fine fuels, and predicted winds and gusts in front of the approaching cold front. This cold front will bring relief in the form of moisture Friday going into the weekend; however, conditions today will be critical. | 03/11/2021 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | wildfire-hazard wildfire-prevention wildfire-suppression | ||
DOF and VCE Make Land Legacy Planning More Accessible | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) and the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) encourage landowners to make plans for passing on their land to the next generation – right now. The Generation NEXT program is a collaboration between DOF and VCE that helps Virginia landowners keep forests intact, in forest, and in family. Generation NEXT is hosting two low-cost virtual legacy planning series this year – in April and September – to help landowners take the first steps and clarify some of the misconceptions about the legacy planning process that might prevent people from getting started. | 03/18/2021 | News Releases | View | forestland-conservation | conservation estate-planning forest-legacy generation-next | ||
Native Ecosystem Restoration Expanded in Southeastern Virginia | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) and the Meadowview Biological Research Station (MBRS) recently acquired land that expands an existing conservation easement on the Joseph Pines Preserve in Sussex County. The 196-acre purchase by MBRS increases the preserve property to nearly 428 acres. The easement, donated to DOF by MBRS, includes the entire preserve. | 02/16/2021 | News Releases | View | forestland-conservation | conservation conservation-easements longleaf-pine | ||
Spring Fire Season Begins – 4 PM Law in Effect | In Virginia, spring brings increased wildfire potential and a greater threat for escaped fires. Virginia’s spring wildland fire season and accompanying 4 PM Burning Law officially begin Monday, February 15. The law prohibits burning before 4 p.m. each day between February 15 and April 30 if the fire is in, or within 300 feet of woodland, brush or fields containing dry grass or other flammable materials. | 02/16/2021 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | 4pm-burning-law burning fire-laws law-enforcement wildfire-prevention | ||
Spring Fire Season Begins – 4 PM Law in Effect | In Virginia, spring brings increased wildfire potential and a greater threat for escaped fires. Virginia’s spring wildland fire season and accompanying 4 PM Burning Law officially begin Monday, February 15. The law prohibits burning before 4 p.m. each day between February 15 and April 30 if the fire is in, or within 300 feet of woodland, brush or fields containing dry grass or other flammable materials. | 02/11/2021 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | 4pm-burning-law burning fire-laws law-enforcement wildfire-prevention | ||
Land Secured for Virginia’s Newest State Forest | The Conservation Fund transfers more than 2,500 acres to the State, ensuring sustainable forest management, protecting wildlife habitat and water quality, and providing recreational access. This property will become the Charlotte State Forest. | 12/03/2020 | News Releases | View | forestland-conservation state-forests | conservation water-quality-protection wildlife-habitat | ||
DOF Seeks Acorns/Nuts from Virginia Landowners | DOF is again seeking 12 species of acorns and nuts that can be planted at its Augusta Forestry Center to grow into tree seedlings that will become the forests of tomorrow. | 09/15/2020 | News Releases | View | nurseries | acorns-nuts fall native-species oak seedlings | ||
Virginia Department of Forestry Deploys Urban Forest Strike Team to Combat Invasive Insect | DOF in partnership with USDA Forest Service, VDACS, DOF, and USDA-APHIS will deploy Urban Forest Strike Team members for rapid data collection of an invasive pest – spotted lanternfly. | 02/05/2020 | News Releases | View | urban-and-community-forestry | arborists emergency-response insects spotted-lanternfly tree-of-heaven urban-forestry | ||
Virginia Department of Forestry Offers Cost-Share to Remove Ash Trees from Public Property | In respose to statewide decline of ash trees due to the introduction of the emerald ash borer (EAB), DOF is offering financial assistance to remove dead or dying ash trees from the public properties. | 08/03/2020 | News Releases | View | financial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry urban-and-community-forestry | ash cost-share-programs emerald-ash-borer insects native-species tree-health | ||
2020 Camp Woods and Wildlife Nominations Open | DOF invites teens to learn in the great outdoors this summer! Nominations are now open for 2020 Camp Woods and Wildlife held in June at Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center near Appomattox, Virginia. | 03/10/2020 | News Releases | View | education public-information | camp | ||
Outdoor Fires Unlawful Before 4 p.m. | The Commonwealth’s 4 p.m. Burn Law goes into effect February 15. This law prohibits burning before 4 p.m. each day between February 15 and April 30 if the fire is in, or within 300 feet of, woodland, brush or fields containing dry grass or other flammable materials. | 02/10/2020 | News Releases | View | fire-and-emergency-response | 4pm-burning-law burning fire-laws law-enforcement wildfire-prevention |
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