Action Alert: Budget Amendments to Fund Department of Natural Heritage Staff

January 21, 2020
Budget Amendments to Fund Department of Natural Heritage Staff

What: Critical Virginia state budget amendments to fund Department of Natural Heritage staff, including one Natural Areas Botanist, one State Invasive Species Biologist/Coordinator, and one State Pollinator Biologist are up for a vote.

Why: The Division of Natural Heritage needs additional funds to adequately protect and manage Virginia’s biodiversity, allow for public access to Natural Area Preserves, successfully execute Governor Northam’s ConserveVirginia initiative, and update their biological data to make good decisions for environmental reviews.

When: House of Delegates review by Wednesday, January 29, 2020

What you can do: Contact your state legislators to express support for this amendment. View or download the Call to Action instructions and suggestions for more information.

March 14, 2020
Update from the VNPS Conservation Chair:

Despite budget amendments having been introduced on both sides for Division of Natural Heritage by the VNPS, neither the House or Senate included any additional funding for the Natural Heritage Program. Thank you to all who participated in supporting the DNH budget amendments through submitting letters or making phone calls to legislators along with advocating other members to do so.