Virginia’s wildlife, their habitats, and their food sources are growingly threatened by encroachment and climate change. As human populations continue to expand into and impact areas of the state, we must ensure initiatives that protect the health and safe movement of our flora and fauna. Protecting wildlife helps to keep our ecosystems intact.

Pat Calvert

PROTECTING AND RESTORING VIRGINIA’S MUSSEL POPULATIONS
ASSESSING AND ENHANCING VIRGINIA’S OYSTER STOCK
ENSURING RESILIENT ECOSYSTEMS THROUGH WILDLIFE CORRIDOR PROTECTION
PROTECTING AND EXPANDING VIRGINIA’S DWINDLING TREE CANOPY

• Fund key water quality programs at levels consistent with achieving the goals of the Watershed Implementation Plan (see chapter Meeting Our Chesapeake Bay Clean-Up Goals, p. 1).
• Fund land conservation programs (see Healthy, Resilient Communities and Landscapes, p. 88).
• Increase funding for key state environmental agencies to levels adequate with programmatic needs, including programs to address resiliency and climate change needs.
• Fund and ensure rapid and thorough integration of environmental justice mandates. See additional recommendations in Working Towards Environmental Justice (p. 118).
• Ensure Virginia’s natural resources programs are adequately and reliably funded going forward by adopting dedicated funding mechanisms, such as application of the full statewide recordation fee revenue (see Exploring Dedicated Funding for Conservation, p. 94).

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Check back in January for talking points for the 2022 General Assembly Session.