Virginia Conservation Network

We visited Southeastern Virginia for this year’s staff retreat to unwind and connect with VCN Network Partners in the area! During our visit, we… 🦀 Saw some of Virginia’s native aquatic species up close 🚣 Kayaked on the Back and North Bays 🌱 Learned about green building practices that strengthen resilience to sea-level rise and climate change 🛥️ Enjoyed a sunset boat ride to the Chesapeake Bay

Breaking News 🚨 Governor @abigailspanberger has officially signed HB597 into law, creating a new Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund to support crossings and connectivity projects statewide. Proud to be part of a coalition working to move this forward alongside Delegate Simonds, including organizations like @wildlandsnetwork , @environment_virginia , @va_conservation , @backcountryhunters , @rmef_official , @wildlifecenter_va , and many other partners and community members! READ >> WildVirginia.org

🏛️Virginia’s General Assembly session adjourned on Saturday. Now, the Governor will sign, amend, or veto all bills passed by the General Assembly by April 14th. Then, legislators will reconvene for veto session on April 22nd to vote on all of the governor’s amendments. 🗓️Join our General Assembly Recap on April 24th to get the inside scoop from environmental policy experts about the conservation community’s biggest victories, the missed opportunities, and any surprise outcomes from the 2026 General Assembly session. This public event is open to anyone wanting to learn which environmental bills are becoming Virginia law. 🎟️ Grab your ticket today! (Link in bio & story)

🏛️ Earlier this month, over 250 people gathered in Richmond from across the Commonwealth for #conservationlobbyday. 🙌 Thank you to all who joined us for an exciting day of advocacy!

📝On Feb. 4, Loudoun Wildlife joined nearly 200 other environmental organizations to participate in Conservation Lobby Day, an event where environmental advocates, citizens, and partner organizations meet with state legislators to lobby for policies protecting land, water, wildlife, and climate resilience. The annual event is organized by the Virginia Conservation Network (VCN) and is held during the General Assembly session. LWC Conservation Advocacy Coordinator Trinity Mills and Executive Director Tom Kercheval met with state legislators to lobby for a variety of bills important to wildlife habitat and conservation in Loudoun County. LWC also participated in Data Center Lobby Day on February 9th, organized by PEC and the Data Center Reform Coalition, to advocate for legislator action on critically needed data center reform policy. Learn more in the video, and stay updated on all the bills we're supporting at /2026/01/2026-general-assembly/ There you'll also find ways to contact your legislator (it's not too late!) or reach out to us with any questions: [email protected] 💚Thanks to VCN and PEC for inspiring, difference-making days! #conservationlobbyday #virginiaconservation #vcn #datacenterreform #virginiageneralassembly #loudounwildlifeconservancy #lwc @va_conservation @piedmontenviron

📣 Who will speak for the trees? Funding for Virginia’s Great Outdoors Act could be within reach if we act now! During their meeting Wednesday at 12 p.m. we expect the House Finance Committee to vote on whether to send their version of the bill (HB641) to the full House. Passing this landmark legislation would create a tax on #datacenters to support conservation, generating at least $250 million annually in dedicated funding — creating permanent funding for: ✔️State Parks & Public Lands ✔️Working Farms and Forests ✔️Historic Preservation, including a new Virginia Tribal Commitment Fund ✔️Wildlife ✔️Trails Visit pecva.org/hb641 or use the link in bio to write members of the House Finance Committee in support of HB641 TODAY.

Virginia’s new political chapter starts now! Join us THIS Wednesday, January 21, at 10 AM as we rally for an affordable clean energy future. Food and music available. RSVP in our bio!⁠ ⁠ RSVP today: /events/affordable-clean-energy⁠ ⁠ #CleanEnergyForAll #VaClimateAction #PeopleOverPolluters #AffordableCleanEnergy #ClimateJusticeVA #RallyForCleanEnergy⁠

🏛️Join us for Conservation Lobby Day on February 4th! 🚨Registration for Lobby Day ends on January 28th — don’t miss out, grab your tickets NOW!🚨 (Link in our story) This is your chance to join fellow advocates and advocate for environmental action that matters most to you. Your voice matters in shaping Virginia’s environmental policies for today and the generations to come. #conservationlobbyday #climateaction

Investing in wildlife crossings saves lives, property, and money. It also creates jobs. Thank you Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) for introducing bipartisan legislation to build more wildlife migration crossings and making it easier for Tribes to participate. See link in bio for more info. #wildlifecrossing #roads #card #wildlifebridge #elk #deer

The 2026 General Assembly session is approaching! Take the next step in your civic engagement by joining hundreds of Virginians at our General Assembly Preview on Saturday, December 6th, 9 AM to 12 PM! Register to attend an in-person Regional Watch Party (breakfast included) or join us online. In-person attendees will have the chance to network with local advocates during breakout discussions about the impact of state-level policy on our communities and how we can make a difference. Hear from statewide experts, network with fellow conservationists, and dive into critical topics that will affect our communities and the environment —all in one day! (Link in bio)

Please join us in congratulating our 2025 Conservation Awards recipients 👏 👏 👏 🌟 Maribel Castañeda, Our Virginia Outdoors: Rising Star Award 🏆 Karen Forget, Lynnhaven River NOW (LRNow): Lifetime Achievement Award 🏆 Trip Pollard, Southern Environmental Law Center: Lifetime Achievement Award 🏆 Faith B Harris, Virginia Interfaith Power & Light: Lifetime Achievement Award 🏅 Jay Ford, Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Conservation Champion of the Year 💯 Mary Rafferty, Virginia Conservation Network: Virginia All-Star Leadership Award Thank you to Delegate Shelly Simonds and Matt Wells for kicking off our Awards Ceremony at our Annual Meeting & Partner Retreat at Pocahontas State Park earlier this month, and congratulations to all awardees!

🎉 The votes are in and the winners of the 2025 VCN Photo Contest have been chosen! A huge congratulations to our talented photographers, and thank you to everyone who voted and supported this year’s contest. 🏆 Cover Photo: TJ Byrd (@TheDailyByrd ) 🏛️ Historic & Cultural Resources: Brenna Behel 🚴 Outdoor Recreation: Jenn Loving (@jennsbehindthelens ) 🌊 Ripple Effect: Tori Nutt (@thetorisophotography ) 🌄 Vistas & Landscape: David Martin (@nightwatchmanphoto ) Tap the link in bio to learn more about the winning photos! #Virginia #PhotoContest #VirginiaPhotography