Press Room

Facts and Figures

The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) is responsible for:

• Protection of 15.8 million acres of forest land from fire, insects and disease.
• Management of 19 State Forests and other state lands totaling 55,142 acres for timber, recreation, water, research, wildlife and biodiversity.
• Assistance to non-industrial private forest landowners through professional forestry advice and technical management programs.
• Read more forest facts.

More than 300,000 forest landowners in Virginia control 77% of forest land, which:

• Enhances the quality of life in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
• Supports the forest industry, a significant contributor to the state's economy.

Learn about the economic importance of forests.

Stay Connected

• Follow ForestryVA on Twitter!
• Take a look at videos we post on our YouTube channel - ForestryTV.
• Forestry Update, the Virginia Department of Forestry's monthly electronic newsletter.
• Blogs - Online blogs maintained by employees of the Virginia Department of Forestry.
• RSS Feeds - Subscribe to one of our RSS feeds to receive our news and information.

Podcasts

Podcasts are in English, MP3 format.

• Foresters turn troublesome trees into charcoal. Aggressive plants from other parts of the world are multiplying, sucking up nutrients and water from the soil, blocking sunlight, and crowding out native trees. State foresters now have a novel idea to stop at least one species from spreading. Sandy Hausman, WVTF. 2009-09-109
• Private Forests. Virginia's forests are facing devastation. The threat is not from forest fires, insects or disease but from property and estate taxes. Sandy Hausman, WVTF. 2009-08-09
• The Woods in Your Backyard | Script (English). More than 60% of the land in Virginia is covered by trees. 66% of all forest in the Commonwealth is privately owned. That's why state officials are holding a series of workshops for people with trees in their backyard; they're hoping to improve the quality of Virginia woodlands by working with homeowners. Sandy Hausman, WVTF. 2009-03-04
• Virginia forests are facing new threats. Dr. Chris Asaro, the Virginia Department of Forestry's Forest Health Specialist, describes new health threats facing our forests from invasive plants and pests. 2008-08-27.

Related Podcasts

• Forest Eco is a two-minute podcast and radio module distributed monthly by the U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station.

News releases and Alerts

• News releases and alerts.
• In The News:
  • Trees starting to show their Autumn colors. 2009-10-20. NBC12. Richmond. English.
  • Forestry Department will try out workweeks with four 10-hour days. 2009-10-09. Daily Progress. Charlottesville. English.
  • Controlled Burn in Albemarle Co. Causes Heavy Smoke in Area. 2009-10-08. WCAV19. Charlottesville. English. Includes video clip.
  • Department of Forestry to Start Four-Day Work Week. 2009-10-08. WHSV 3. Harrisonburg. English. Includes video clip.
  • Natural Resources Leadership Institute Meets in Madison. 2009-09-23. NBC29. Charlottesville. English. Includes video clip.
  • Department of Forestry Funding for Valley. 2009-09-17. NBC29. Charlottesville.
  • Arsonist torches Virginia Dept. of Forestry truck in Franklin Co. 2009-09-16. WSLS 10. Roanoke.
  • Landowners Make Plans for Future. 2009-08-12. NBC29. Charlottesville.
  • Book key to the IDs for trees. 2009-07-31. Richmond Times-Dispatch.
  • New $15 State Forest Permits Start July 1st. 2009-06-29. Includes video clip. (English). WCAV Charlottesville.
  • Not Enough Rain For Fire Hazard. 2009-03-17. Includes video clip. (English). TV3 Winchester.
  • Fired Up About His Job. 2009-03-14. Free Lance-Star. Fredericksburg.
  • Balance is Focus of Environmental Conference in Charlottesville. Includes video clip. (English) 2009-03-12. NBC29. Charlottesville.
  • Training For Wildfires In Louisa County. Includes video clip. (English) 2009-02-21. WCAV. Charlottesville.
  • Firefighters Undergo Wildfire Training. Includes video clip. (English) 2009-02-21. NBC29. Charlottesville.
  • Brush Fires at Center of Arson Investigation. Includes video clip. (English) 2009-02-09. WCAV. Charlottesville.
  • Open burning restrictions soon take effect. 2009-02-06. WWBT, Richmond.
  • Virginia forest fires drop; acres burned rise in '08. 2009-01-06. WDBJ, Roanoke.
  • Virginia Department of Forestry records first easement in Rappahannock. 2008-12-31. Rappahannock News .
  • Roanoke spruce a cut above other trees. A Roanoke couple donated a 20-foot Colorado blue spruce that will be taken to Richmond and decorated outside the Capitol building. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-11-24. Roanoke Times. Roanoke.
  • Louisa Seeks to Prevent Costly Wildfires. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-11-22. NBC29. Charlottesville.
  • Governor Kaine Visits Charlottesville for Cabinet Community Day. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-11-13. WCAV. Charlottesville.
  • Inside Kaine's Valley Tour. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-11-13. NBC29. Charlottesville.
  • Be Careful Where You Throw Your Ashes. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-10-29. TV3. Winchester.
  • Fall Foliage 2008. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-10-13. WCAV. Charlottesville.
  • Baton Rouge Tree Assessment. Video clip. (English) 2008-10-03. Louisiana Public Broadcasting.
  • Once planted, Virginia's little acorns have big potential. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-10-01. Virginia Pilot Online.
  • Local Volunteers Head to Texas for Ike Relief. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-09-15. WCAV.
  • Annoying Chiggers. 2008-09-04. WSET.
  • Hanna Could Bring Serious Damage. 2008-09-02. WRIC.
  • Dry Weather Hurting Trees. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-08-26. WSET.
  • Henrico Brush Fire. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-08-25. WRVA.
  • Area Kids Explore the Outdoors Before Heading Back to School. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-08-18. WCAV.
  • Moths Eat Away at Virginia's Forests. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-07-29. WCAV.
  • Gypsy Moth Damage. 2008-07-29. WHSV.
  • New life for the chestnut. 2008-07-20. Daily Progress.
  • Researchers Working to Bring Back American Chestnut Tree. 2008-07-11. NBC29.
  • 2008 Wildland Fire Academy
  • New information about Bedford County man accused of arson . Includes video clip. (English) 2008-03-26. WDBJ.
  • Arson on Mill Mountain. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-03-17. WSLS.
  • Governor Kaine thanks firefighters, volunteers. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-02-28. WSLS.
  • Governor Kaine thanks local firefighters. Video clip. (English) 2008-02-28. WDBJ.
  • Forest Fire Money Already Spent. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-02-25. WSET.
  • The Cost Of Fighting Wildfires. Video clip. (English) 2008-02-25. WTVR.
  • 2008 State Funds For Firefighting Depleted. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-02-25. WCAV.
  • VDOF Says Wildfires Have Drained Funds. Includes video clip. (English) 2008-02-25. WHSV.
  • Local Furniture Company Unveils Green Initiative.Includes video clip. (English) 2007-12-18. WXII Winston-Salem.
  • Wildfire That Injured Two Firefighters Now Contained. Photos: 01 l 02 l 03 l 04 l 05 l 06. (English) 2007-09-13. WSET, Channel 13.
  • Dogs ahead of investigators by a nose. Jacksonville.com. 2007-05-15
  • Down Home Virginia (2006): Fire Risk In Virginia (English, video clip).

Personnel

The Board of Forestry and the Reforestation of Timberlands Board support the strategic goals of the agency.

• Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry: Robert S. Bloxom
• State Forester: Carl Garrison, III
• Deputy State Forester: John Carroll
• Assistant State Forester - Administration: Brad Williams
• Assistant State Forester - Policy, Planning, and Budget: Ron Jenkins

Reference Materials

• Economic Importance of Forests.
• FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions

Fire and Emergency Response

• Guidelines for Videographers and Reporters (English, PDF format)
• Covering Wildfire in Virginia Media Guide (English, PDF format)
• Wildfire terms
• VDOF Fact Sheet: Natural Disaster/Hurricane Response

Land Conservation

• Final Report on SJR75 (Preserving Forestland in Virginia). (English; PDF format; 1.2MB).
• Preserving Forestland with Senate Joint Resolution 75
• Forest Inventory & Analysis

Public Service Announcements (PSAs)

Wldfire Prevention radio PSAs for the Fall 2007 Fire Season. (English; MP3 format)

• PSA 1 with Bill Dance l PSA 2 with Bill Dance l PSA: You Get The Bill

Radio spots for the Fall 2005 Fire Season.

• PSA 001 l PSA 003 l PSA 004

Photo Gallery

• Forestry Images
• Garland Gray Forestry Center
  Lifting - 1 l Lifting - 2 l Grading

Success Stories

• Virginia Department of Forestry Responds for Hurricane Isabel

Last modified: Wednesday, 28-Oct-2009 16:48:44 EDT