U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner visited Shenandoah National Park to celebrate and honor the spirit and mission of public land restoration and preservation on the eve of National Public Lands Day.
National Public Lands Day was Sept. 28. Warner was joined by Shenandoah National Park Superintendent J. Tracy Stakely, National Park Foundation President and CEO Will Shafroth, local elected officials and other conservation partners.
“Whether it be a national park, historic battlefield, scenic trail or national monument, Virginia’s public lands are major economic engines that provide countless recreational opportunities and contribute to a higher quality of life for so many folks,” Warner said. “I was proud to help write and negotiate the Great American Outdoors Act four years ago, and I’m thrilled to see it continue to pay off on National Public Lands Day, a day dedicated to preserving our natural treasures for generations to come.”
As part of the celebration, Warner highlighted the historic conservation investments that have been made in Virginia in the four years since the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, including nearly $10 billion for public lands, with approximately $480 million allocated to deferred maintenance projects located at national parks across Virginia.
Warner has worked for years to provide relief to Virginia’s national parks, an effort that culminated in the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, legislation authored and championed by Warner. Signed into law in 2020, the Great American Outdoors Act provides permanent and full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and helps address the maintenance backlog.
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Rebecca Barnabi
