The largest landowner in the state of Virginia by far is the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation . This state organization owns a whopping 4.18 million acres within the state. This includes public lands for residents and visitors to use and enjoy as well as managed land for conservation and wildlife.
Their mission focuses is to “conserve Virginia’s natural and recreational resources.” They do this through six focus areas: natural heritage, planning and recreation resources, soil and water, state parks, dam safety and floodplain management, and administration. Many of the efforts of the Department work to conserve the millions of acres that they manage.
History of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation was founded in 1926. It falls under the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources. Four other departments focused on the preservation and conservation of natural resources and history also work together. However, none come close to the amount of land resources owned and managed . The federal government also owns a lot of land in Virginia, including national parks, national monuments, and national forests. But they still fall short compared to the more than 4 million acres owned by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.