Thanks to all who spoke up for Virginia’s Great Outdoors Act this session!
This week is crossover at the General Assembly – meaning any bill that started in the House must pass a House floor vote and move to the Senate in order to continue the process toward becoming law (and vice versa). Unfortunately, Virginia’s Great Outdoors Act will not advance this year.
Though this is disappointing, we have much to celebrate: This is the third year for VGOA, and the bill made it farther in the process than ever before. For the first time, we had bipartisan co-patrons in both chambers – a strong demonstration of the broad support for conserving Virginia’s outdoor spaces for current and future generations. And Outdoor Recreation Day reinforced this message, with folks from across the Commonwealth showing up and sharing their support for Virgnia’s great outdoors with legislators on both sides of the aisle.
This success is because of YOU. Everyone who participated in Outdoor Recreation Day, sent messages to Delegates and Senators, and shared messages from OVO and our members on social media helped make a difference for VGOA. Even though the bill won’t become law this year, the momentum we’ve created will carry into the interim – when we all can continue to engage legislators on this issue to encourage them to prioritize it in 2027.
Where do we go from here?
- Keep up with us on social media and make sure you’re on our e-newsletter list – that’s where we’ll share opportunities for showing your support for VGOA, including events, legislator outreach, and more.
- Regardless of whether the General Assembly is in session, you can always contact your Senator and Delegate to encourage them to support conservation and recreation in Virginia! Start here to find out who represents you and how to contact them. Your message doesn’t have to be long or super polished — just tell them what’s important to you and why.
- Share our social media posts on your own platforms, and encourage your friends to check out Our Virginia Outdoors. All are welcome here!
Photos:
Banner: Take me home, Lexington by E.C. Myers
Instagram compilation: @railstotrails @fifthstop @nature_va
Above left: Blue Ridge Parkway, sunset flowers by Patti Black
Above middle: Will Fisher from Richmond, VA, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Above right: Hickory Pine Sunrise, Raven’s Roost by Anthony Harding
Our Virginia Outdoors is a diverse bipartisan coalition advocating for the protection of of our great outdoors for today's Virginians and and future generations. Members include land trusts, trails advocates, outdoor recreation user groups, Virginia Indian Tribes and conservation organizations.