NOVA Parks News

NOVA Parks is seeking community input on its Draft 2023-2027 Strategic Plan. Northern Virginia residents, businesses, visitors and community organizations are being asked to provide input to help inform NOVA Parks’ priorities through 2027.

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NOVA PARKS SEEKS COMMUNITY INPUT ON 5-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN

­­For Immediate Release: June 13, 2022

NOVA Parks is seeking community input on its Draft 2023-2027 Strategic Plan. Northern Virginia residents, businesses, visitors and community organizations are being asked to review the draft plan and provide feedback online by 5 p.m. on Friday, July 8. Input received will help inform NOVA Parks’ priorities through 2027.

“I commend the NOVA Parks Board and Professional Team for crafting a 5-Year Plan that simultaneously addresses the imperative need to reduce northern Virginia’s carbon footprint while creating additional park experiences for all residents of our region,” said NOVA Parks Chair Cate Magennis Wyatt. “I believe the visionaries who founded NOVA Parks over 60 years ago, as a conservation organization, would be proud of this plan and the professional NOVA Parks Team, led by Executive Director Paul Gilbert, who will execute it.”

By 2027, NOVA Parks aims to increase parkland; enhance park amenities; offer new services; serve more community members; create a sense of belonging; offset carbon; conserve energy; become a national brand; attract and retain top-quality employees; and further develop the systems to support and grow this dynamic agency. The 5-year strategic plan provides specific goals and objectives to achieve this vision. Highlights of the plan include:

• Plant over 50,000 trees creating new areas of forest
• Create or improve trails with a focus on sustainability and an investment of over $6 million
• Create a W&OD Visitor Center
• Create a new wetland park for environmental education and sustainability
• Invest in electric vehicles and mowers, and take other steps to lower carbon footprint
• Add five new parkland properties, and manage existing parkland to better sequester carbon
• Expand cultural events and festivals
• Lead effort to commemorate the Declaration of Independence with interpretive efforts focused on liberty, justice, and freedom
• Expand partnerships with community groups
• Grow entrepreneurial revenues to support park improvements
• Create a team and programs that are reflective of our changing and diverse community

The draft plan is organized into 5 pillars—Environment, Belonging, Our Team, Building the Future, and Revenue and Efficiency—with 2 short questions per section and 2 overall questions. Responses will take only a few minutes and will help inform NOVA Parks' upcoming priorities.

Visit novaparks.com/StrategicPlan to review the Draft 2023-2027 Strategic Plan and provide feedback by July 8.

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About NOVA Parks

Founded in 1959 as a conservation organization, NOVA Parks (Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority) is the only regional park authority in Virginia. It represents three Northern Virginia counties and three cities—Arlington County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, the City of Alexandria, the City of Falls Church, and the City of Fairfax. The regional agency manages 34 parks with 12,335 acres of parkland, including waterparks, golf courses, campsites, historic sites, event venues, boat launches, annual holiday light shows, and a high adventure ropes course.