Thank you for taking the time to accept comments about the outdoor spaces offered by Virginia. Here are some of my general thoughts and ideas. 

• The Northern Neck is an often overlooked area of Virginia but is filled with so much. Offering water access and public swimming areas would help a great deal. Also making sure that the area can stay true to its roots and remain an oasis from the Northern area of VA.
• More open programs (like bay clean up) for the public to take part in and learn from.
• Better promotion of any programs there already are.
• Working with schools to help create a program about taking care of the areas in Virginia would help make sure that our youth are nature-focused as they grow up.  Planning FUNDED field trips with schools at different stages to different areas.
• Jr Ranger programs that have kids hands-on in the water or different areas to help take care of the spaces we have. 
• Affordable summer camps that help highlight the nature VA has. Both day and overnight camps.
• Clean bathrooms at trailheads. 
• Removing invasive plants and trees and working with local counties to make sure they are planting native plants and trees. 
• Making sure that trails are properly cared for year-round. 
• Offer more deals to VA residents, for camping, cabin rental, trail use, etc. 
• Working with campgrounds to help keep them clean and safe for all who wish to go camping. 
• More splash pads.
• Offer more well-maintained Equine trails.
• Westmoreland County would really use a few parks like Warsaw. 
• While getting into nature often means putting the phones away, when things happen, having the ability to make a phone call is very important. Please work to have the best cell coverage possible. 
• Work with local geocaching groups to help bring people into areas and to help keep tabs on areas that may not be visited often by others. 
• Find some way to help with overcrowding, loud music, and large parties in public areas. 

Thank you!

I was able to look through the draft Virginia Outdoors Plan (VOP) with ease and quickly found information that I was interested in reviewing- Good Job! The on-line structure is concise and digestible.  The accessability for both local governments and the public is a good way to bring this important document into the public arena and make sure that it's utilized.

Policy documents like this are too often phonebook-like stacks of pages held in binders that gather dust on office shelves. The Plan is the opposite. I commend the authors and designers for creating a robust web-based component that is dynamic and user-friendly. The storymap format seems like an excellent way to create a "responsive" document that meets the needs of planners, policy professionals, and the general public alike. Congratulations on a thoroughly modern Virginia Outdoors Plan. 

Overall the new format has a great potential for getting detailed data on some things. 

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Comments:

• It does not do a good job of recommendations based on regional survey results.
• Many of the big topic areas from previous VOPs are not even searchable; or could not be found when searched [i.e. byways, scenic rivers, trails] These are important to many regions. 
• A concern is that the recommendations are too general and most are only related to Natural Heritage and not recreation. There should be recommendations by region, even if they are the same ones as the state, I expect that the priorities are different based on region. 
• It would be nice to have a table of contents and an index. Not just for looking things up, but for knowing what is available. 
• The introduction starts out with a recommendation. It needs some context - explain why the new format, what one can expect to garner from the plan, how to use the plan, etc.
• The descriptions of the state and federal lands and the corresponding maps are a great asset. 
• State Parks - have the outline for state parks in another color other than yellow, green perhaps, as it is not very legible. Have a link from the park metadata to the state park master plan page or have a link to all the master plans from the title. There is mention of the new master plan process at Southwest Museum, then have a hotlink to the plan. 

ArcGIS StoryMap is fine as a complementary tool but is completely inappropriate to serve as a standalone draft plan.

Please post the draft Virginia Outdoors Plan in the form of a standard text document as soon as possible so that authentic public engagement and review may commence during this extremely abbreviated comment period that began during a holiday week.

I moved down to Virginia from New York because of my love of nature! Here we have magnificent trees and boundless waterways, especially for kayaking. Years ago I came here by Greyhound Bus just for a week of camping and hiking in clean air! Only thing keeping me in NY was caring for my mother (who refused to move to Virginia!) Now my own health has gone downhill but I know I’d be dead if I still lived in NYC!

Hello, thank you for providing this time period for the public to digest and reflect on this very comprehensive 5-year-plan. As an avid outdoor recreational user and enthusiast, outdoor recreation is my sole priority when exploring both new and familiar places.

A few thoughts on the plan:

• An additional "Gallery Card" specific to Wildlife Habitats Protections and "Minimal Impact" tourism-generated visitation. A "ground-up" approach to sustainable outdoor recreation development that aligns with wildlife and resource protections. A key component of "land conservation," rather than a byproduct, in my opinion.
  • Think of Virginia's Southernmost State Park- False Cape State Park and Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge for reference. Accessible only by hike, bike, and park-operated tram for visitors to experience and gain a deeper understanding of the importance of wildlife habitat and natural resource protection. The area is home to some 54 rare and endangered species that rely on these undisturbed and diverse habitats to exist. Folks visit this park, whether by tram for senior and accessibility needs, or by foot, bike, or e-bike.
• Additional mentions of the importance in protecting/ expanding wildlife refuges.
• An emphasis on visitor centers as hubs of land conservation and wildlife, guest safety knowledge and adequate and future staffing for educated wildlife, resource, and conservation rangers with knowledge to inform the public on their areas and how to have minimal impact on protected areas.
• Educational programming on biodiversity and Appalachia's Temperate Rainforest/ such a unique and special natural resource asset with needs to be protected for future generations. I like your sections on "youth programming" and getting younger generations interested in the natural world with hands-on educational programming.
• Under Section 1.1:  Recommend "Fund and expand natural areas protection efforts and wildlife corridors, as well as staff who are educated and informative on wildlife, resource protection, and conservation in their areas" in addition to improvements of resiliency." Protect the resource/ source.
• Under Section 2.1- Add a breakdown of outdoor recreation by type- I.e. "Human-Powered:  hike, bike, backpack, bike-pack, horseback, kayak, paddleboard, raft, fish and Motorized/ Assisted: ATV, off-road, e-bike, all-terrain wheelchairs (Could further breakdown by environment- water, land, air (skydiving, base jumping, bridge rappelling).
• Under Section 1.3 "Future Considerations," What about considering implementing new programming such as a model similar to Colorado's new "All-access State Park Pass?" Implement state parks access programs. CO's model is a $29 annual vehicle registration fee which provides users with a pass for all state parks, which resulted in generating funding for outdoor affiliated partners ($41 million in revenue for CO in a fiscal year benefitting partners like local search and rescue, state parks, etc.).
• Under Section 2.1.4- Love the overarching ideas presented in this section. Safety, physical/ mental health benefits of being in nature- from survey respondent. SO much great information here, it's a lot to scroll and digest. What about summarizing it to headers/ subheads with external links to "read more?" Breakdown categories by "safety, regional maps, health, etc.?"
• Under Section 2.3/ Storymap- Would like to see a chart that unites the differing partners, emphasizing the importance of the mutual connection rather than individual listing/ maybe a pie chart or visual representation with option to "learn more" about each.
• Great mention of "greenways" and survey responses with protections on "natural areas" and "native flora and fauna." Maybe some additional programming for visitor centers on pollinator gardens and native plants.
• Love this response:  “Recreation planners should consider converting previously disturbed natural areas within developed parks into nature-based recreation areas, and seek opportunities to connect developed and natural area parks with greenways and adjacent parcel acquisitions that support trails, and can serve as wildlife corridors.”
• **Provide further funding for case studies to similar areas that are doing just this^ like Costa Rica national parks– Manuel Antonio– wildlife areas are protected with a greenway for tourists/ visitors that does not disrupt animal habitats off the path/ additionally this economy thrives on outdoor recreation and adventure tourism, with a similar forested environment.
• Under Section 3.1- A more dominant early emphasis on "biodiversity" and "ecological restoration"
• Great mentions under ecological restoration and tribal community involvement as opportunities- "Build from the ground up" approach:  Habitat Protections>Wildlife/ endangered species Education/ Protections> Biodiversity Education> Invasive Species Removals>Training/ Programming>Sustainable Outdoor Rec/ Parks Development>Trails Maintenance/ Future Staffing>Tourism/Visitor Growth>Continued Funding for Conservation/ Preservation
• Emphasis on education, tools, and funding for volunteerism/ training/ stewardship
• Kudos on the mention of Dark Skies

Overall, great job on the in-depth content and availability of information! The format seems to be user-friendly for the digitally adept. I would suggest, in light heart, a consistent format from one "Gallery Card" to the next, as they seem to each have their own "flow" that can seem chaotic when trying to navigate as a collective guide/ plan.

Thank you to everyone involved in putting this together, and thank you for your thought to survey respondents and future generations.