Title 10.1, Title 10.1. Conservation

A. No person shall make use of, gain admittance to, or attempt to use or gain admittance to the facilities in any state park for the use of which a charge is assessed by the Department, unless the person pays the charge or price established by the Department. B. No owner or drive…

A. The Director is authorized to acquire by gift or purchase or by the exercise of the power of eminent domain, areas, properties, lands or any estate or interest therein, of scenic beauty, recreational utility, historical interest, biological significance or any other unusual fe…

A. The State Park Conservation Resources Fund shall consist of all state park fees, fees from concessions, civil penalties assessed pursuant to § 10.1-200.2 and under § 10.1-200.3, all revenues associated with forest product sales on state parks pursuant to § 10.1-113, and all fu…

The Department of Conservation and Recreation shall establish a Golden Passport card that authorizes persons receiving social security disability payments to enter Virginia's state parks without having to pay an admittance or parking fee. Persons seeking such a card shall, upon t…

The Department shall establish a Disabled Veteran's Passport that entitles the bearer to: (i) enter state parks in the Commonwealth without the payment of a parking or admission fee and (ii) receive a 50 percent discount on camping and swimming fees, picnic shelter rentals, and o…

The Department shall establish a Virginia National Guard Passport (the Passport) that entitles the bearer to enter state parks in the Commonwealth without the payment of a parking or admission fee. The Passport shall be issued upon request to a member of the Virginia National Gua…

A. The Appalachian Trail shall be developed and administered primarily as a footpath, consonant with the provisions of the National Trails Systems Act applicable to the Appalachian Trail as part of the National Scenic Trails System, and its natural scenic beauty shall be preserve…

A. As used in this section, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Other power-driven mobility device" means any mobility device powered by batteries, fuel, or other engines, whether or not designed primarily for use by individuals with mobility disabilities, that is u…

A. The State Trails Advisory Committee (the Committee) is hereby established as an advisory committee of the Department of Conservation and Recreation to assist the Commonwealth in developing and implementing a statewide system of attractive, sustainable, connected, and enduring …

A. The Director shall adopt measures to safeguard the environment of False Cape State Park. These shall include, but not be limited to, the following: 1. Provisions to ensure that adequate drinking water and environmentally sound sewage disposal are provided for visitors to the P…

All departments, commissions, boards, agencies, officers, and institutions of the Commonwealth, or any political subdivision thereof and park authorities shall cooperate with the Department in the preparation, revision and implementation of a comprehensive plan for the developmen…

A. The Director is authorized to acquire by gift or purchase (i) unrestricted fee simple title to tracts, (ii) fee simple title to such land subject to reservation of farming rights or timber rights or (iii) easements in gross or other interests in real estate as are designed to …

Whenever used or referred to in this article, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the text: "Fund" means the Natural Area Preservation Fund. "Dedication" means the transfer to the Commonwealth of an estate, interest, or right in a natural area by any manner authorized…

In addition to other powers conferred by law and subject to the provisions of this article, the Department shall have the power, which may be delegated by the Director: 1. To establish criteria for the selection, registration and dedication of natural areas and natural area prese…

In addition to other duties conferred by law, the Department shall, subject to the provisions of this article: 1. Preserve the natural diversity of biological resources of the Commonwealth. 2. Maintain a Natural Heritage Program to select and nominate areas containing natural her…

A. The Virginia Natural Heritage Program is hereby established and shall be administered by the Department. B. For purposes of this Program the Department shall: 1. Produce an inventory of the Commonwealth's natural heritage resources, including their location and ecological stat…

A. The Director may, in the name of the Department, accept the dedication of natural areas on lands deemed by the Director to qualify as natural area preserves under the provisions of this article. Natural area preserves may be dedicated by voluntary act of the owner. The owner o…

A state system of natural area preserves is hereby established and shall be called the Virginia Natural Area Preserves System. The system shall consist of natural area preserves dedicated as provided in § 10.1-213. Once dedicated, a natural area preserve shall be managed in a man…

A. A fund consisting of general fund appropriations, gifts, bequests, devises, fees, lease proceeds, and funds accruing from, or attributable to, the use or management of state natural area preserves acquired or held by the Department known as the Natural Area Preservation Fund i…

A. The Department shall maintain a state registry of voluntarily protected natural areas to be called the Virginia Registry of Natural Areas. Registration of natural areas shall be accomplished through voluntary agreement between the owner of the natural area and the Director. St…

Gifts, devises or bequests, whether personal or real property, and the income derived therefrom, accepted by the Director, shall be deemed as gifts to the Commonwealth, which shall be exempt from all state and local taxes, and shall be regarded as the property of the Commonwealth…