Future site of a new state park to be on 600 acres in western Loudoun County

Some 604 acres of the 900-acre Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship land preserve, donated by the Robert and Dee Leggett Foundation to the Old Dominion Land Conservancy, were acquired June 14 by Virginia’s Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), a June 30 news release said.

The plan is to use the acreage located in western Loudoun County for a new Virginia State Park.

The land mainly consists of protected forests, streams and wetlands accessed by foot trails. The land will remain open to the public during the interim period. Blue Ridge Center Board President Gregory Miller was quoted in a news release as saying, “We look forward to developing an innovative public-private partnership to sustainably manage these extraordinary natural and cultural resources for current and future generations.”

Representatives from DCR, Virginia State Parks, the Robert and Dee Leggett Foundation, and the nonprofit Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship that has been managing the land held a brainstorming meeting on June 27 to begin the process of establishing an interim management plan.

“We look forward to working with stakeholders, the community and General Assembly as we flesh out the details of a short term arrangement with the Blue Ridge Center board of directors for the continued operation of the site and work on the long-range goals in developing the site’s master plan,” State Parks Director Craig Seaver was quoted as saying in the press release.

Master planning for a state park is a public hearing process in which an advisory committee and public groups meet to discuss development of the park.

“We are excited to add to the heritage of Virginia and the Blue Ridge Mountains by continuing the good works of the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship to conserve and interpret this site,” said DCR Director Clyde Cristman. “We will take advantage of the proximity of the land to the Appalachian Trail and hope to create an official blue-blaze connecting trail to it.”

Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. For more information about Virginia State Parks activities and amenities or to make a reservation for one of the more than 1,800 campsites or 300 climate-controlled cabins, call the Customer Service Center at 800-933-7275 or visit http://www.virginiastateparks.gov