40th Anniversary of Virginia's Natural Heritage Program

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

40th Anniversary of Virginia's Natural Heritage Program

WHEREAS, on August 7, 1986, the Virginia Natural Heritage Program was established through a cooperative effort of the Commonwealth of Virginia and The Nature Conservancy; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia is home to an extraordinary diversity of natural heritage resources, including globally significant rivers, more than 3,500 documented caves, over 200 natural communities, and thousands of rare plant and animal species; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Natural Area Preserve System has grown to include 69 permanently protected preserves encompassing more than 65,000 acres dedicated to conserving the Commonwealth's most significant natural heritage resources; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Natural Heritage Program advances science-based stewardship to restore and manage exceptional habitats across the Commonwealth, including fire-maintained woodlands, migratory bird habitats, and longleaf pine ecosystems; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Natural Heritage Program works to identify and address threats to the Commonwealth's native species, natural communities, and ecosystems, and benefits all Virginians by identifying, conserving, and restoring the Commonwealth's natural heritage resources; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia remains committed to supporting science-based conservation efforts and protecting Virginia's natural resources;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Abigail D. Spanberger, Governor, do hereby recognize August 7, 2026, as the 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF VIRGINIA'S NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.