Submitted News
April 22 marks the 43rd celebration of Earth Day, the grassroots environmental awareness event celebrated in 175 countries. To mark the occasion, Virginia State Parks will offer programming and volunteerism events and introduce a new recycling program in all state parks during “Earth Week,” April 16-22. The 35 award-winning Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Scheduled activities include self-guided and ranger-led programs as well as volunteer opportunities such as trail and shoreline cleanups.
The new statewide recycling program was developed when Dominion Virginia Power awarded a $25,000 grant to Keep Virginia Beautiful for 250 rolling recycling bins and educational signs in Virginia State Parks. Keep Virginia Beautiful also provided portable cigarette-butt ashtrays and larger disposal units to help with cigarette litter, which is unsightly, costly to clean up, and harmful to waterways and wildlife.
The program was introduced in three state parks last fall, in conjunction with Virginia Green, Virginia’s program to encourage green practices throughout its tourism industry. Units will be in place statewide for Earth Week.
“Our partnerships demonstrate the power of businesses, nonprofits and government working together to make a difference,” said DCR State Parks Director Joe Elton. “We are committed to bringing a recycling message to our more than 8 million annual visitors who already appreciate nature’s bounty in our parks and other public lands. Quite frankly, a visitor’s experienced is significantly enhanced without trash and cigarette butts marring the beauty of the outdoors.”
SFor more information concerning green attractions, green lodging and green meeting facilities, visit www.virginia.org/green.
Examples of state park Earth Week events and volunteer opportunities include:
Caledon in King George County, Hungry Mother near Marion, Leesylvania in Prince William County and Smith Mountain Lake in Bedford County, will sponsor trash-to-treasure programs, demonstrating that one person’s trash could be another person’s treasure or useful item.
Mason Neck State Park’s Eagle Festival is a great celebration of America’s success protecting the national symbol; the festival will be held April 20 at the park, located in Fairfax County.
For more information on these and others programs, visit: https://1.usa.gov/Zqrazo, or search the events section of the Virginia State Parks website www.virginiastateparks.gov .
