less than 1/3 of the 66 Natural Area Preserves in Virginia are open to public use
Source: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia’s Natural Area Preserve System (p.17)
less than 1/3 of the 66 Natural Area Preserves in Virginia are open to public use
Source: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia’s Natural Area Preserve System (p.17)
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) manages the Virginia Natural Area Preserves System to protect the most rare natural communities and rare species habitats in Virginia. As of 2023, there were 66 Natural Area Preserves protecting 60,289 acres.
About 20 of the preserves are publicly owned and open to public use, though parking lots are small and facilities (such as porta-johns) are limited. Others are closed to public use, to minimize disturbance at the site. Some Natural Area Preserves are owned by private citizes or oganizations other than the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
All are managed primarily for protection of the native species. Where permitted, recreational use is a secondary management objective.1