December 3, 2020 - By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator Early Tuesday morning, a team of foresters gathered at Claybrooke Farm near Mineral to collect a special gift – the 2020 State Capitol Christmas tree. The approximately 25-foot Norway spruce donated by the Carroll family will be displayed outside on the Capitol portico. This year’s tree lighting ceremony was closed to the public due to COVID concerns, but you can view the tree... Read More
December 6, 2019 - On the evening of December 5, State Forester Rob Farrell and Raina DeFonza (public information specialist) attended the Capitol Tree Lighting Ceremony in Richmond, Virginia with Helen Braunworth, Cindy Crickenberger and Wayne Crickenberger – donors of the Capitol tree. (Read for more details about the selection and harvest of this year’s Capitol tree.) The weather was clear and cool for the evening event, and students from the orchestra at the... Read More
November 27, 2019 - Each year, a live Virginia-grown tree is selected and harvested by the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) to serve as the Christmas tree on display at Virginia’s Capitol in Richmond. The annual Christmas trees are donated from tree farmers across state; this year, the tree selected was a roughly 20-foot Colorado blue spruce, donated by Helen Braunworth and Helen’s daughter and son-in-law Cindy and Wayne Crickenberger from Friendly Forest Farm... Read More
October 16, 2019 - On the afternoon of October 7, a crowd of more than 70 people gathered in Rockingham County for the dedication of Virginia’s newest state forest, First Mountain. First Mountain is the 25th state forest in Virginia and contributes more than 570 beautiful acres of forestland, open fields, and stream frontage to the state lands system. Gary Heiser, State Forests Manager, selected an idyllic location on the property as a ceremony... Read More
February 27, 2018 - by Area Forester Kyle Dingus In 2014 the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) celebrated its 100th anniversary. At the time, I was less than a year into my job as an Area Forester serving the NOVA work area. Through college I had always admired the DOF and was excited to be a part of the agency. I was impressed by the diversity of management and conservation-related duties it is responsible... Read More
