Securing Virginia's Green Future: A New Plan for Forests and City Trees
by Nathan Thomson, Policy and Legislative Analyst for the Virginia Department of Forestry
Virginia is taking a massive and unprecedented step to protect one of its most valuable resources: its trees. The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) has launched a first-of-its-kind initiative — directed by the General Assembly’s House Bill 309 (HB309) — to create the Forestland and Urban Tree Canopy Conservation Plan.
This isn’t just another study. It’s a statewide effort to secure a healthy, sustainable future for Virginia’s forests, the industries that rely on them, and the vital tree canopies that shade and cool our cities and towns.
This chart depicts the number of timber harvests and acres harvested each year from 2010 to 2024. The chart shows an overarching trend of fewer harvests and acres harvested over the past decade, and particularly the past few years.
The Challenge and the Mandate
Why is this effort so critical? For the first time, the state will track how tree cover has changed over several years, combining detailed aerial images with the Department of Forestry’s own harvest data (records showing where and when trees have been cut and replanted). This analysis will reveal where tree canopy is being gained or lost, not only within the Chesapeake Bay region but across the entire commonwealth.
Loss of tree canopy isn’t just about looks or curb appeal. Fewer trees mean hotter streets, poorer air quality, more flooding, and more polluted runoff into Virginia’s waterways. It also actively undermines Virginia’s efforts to achieve its Chesapeake Bay goals. That’s why the General Assembly directed VDOF to create this plan and update it at least every five years: to ensure trees remain a central part of a healthy environment and economy.
The Plan’s core mission is to support and reward actions that protect this essential natural resource. VDOF’s vision is clear: to ensure environmental and economic benefits for all Virginians by sustaining a healthy, abundant, and diverse forest resource. That’s no small task. This is particularly important, not only because forestry is Virginia’s third-largest industry, generating $21 billion annually, but also because of the myriad water quality and health benefits associated with a robust tree canopy.
A Collaborative Approach to Conservation
The pie chart above shows that most of Virginia’s forestland is privately owned (80%, more than 13 million acres). Approximately 521,000 individuals and families in Virginia hold a total of approximately 9.5 million acres of the commonwealth’s forests.
This initiative is a major undertaking that depends on cooperation across Virginia. To ensure the plan reflects many perspectives, VDOF has assembled a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). Southside ReLeaf co-founder Sheri Shannon serves as a member of the TAC, helping ensure that community voices and equity remain central to the process. The committee brings together more than two dozen representatives from:
State agencies like the Department of Wildlife Resources and the Department of Conservation and Recreation
Agricultural and forestry industries
Environmental and conservation organizations
Local governments
Residential and commercial development industries
VDOF staff — spanning the Urban and Community Forestry Team (focused on city and town trees), the GIS and Remote Sensing Team (which uses mapping and satellite data), and the Policy Team — are leading coordination, organizing meetings, supporting contractors, and managing all legislative deliverables. This plan is being created with input from every corner of Virginia’s landscape, from rural forests to urban neighborhoods.
The Science of Assessment
Before VDOF can write a plan, it first needs a clear picture of what’s happening on the ground. That means mapping where forests and tree cover exist today, and how those have changed in recent years.
Virginia consistently ranks in the top five states for the most documented champion trees. These are trees that are the largest specimens of their species in the United States and are recognized through the national University of Tennessee program.
To do this, VDOF is using high-resolution multispectral imagery from the National Agricultural Imagery Program — essentially, highly detailed photos of Virginia taken from the air — and combining it with LiDAR (a laser-based mapping technology that creates 3D models of the landscape). Together, these tools allow scientists to see subtle changes in land cover across the entire state between 2018 and 2023.
Crucially, VDOF is also layering in its own timber harvest data (which shows where trees are cut, replanted, and managed over time) to understand how forest management practices affect canopy cover. This makes Virginia’s plan one of the most data-driven in the country, ensuring its policies rest on the most accurate information available.
Beyond measuring tree cover, VDOF is studying related factors, such as forest fragmentation (the process of breaking large forests into smaller patches) and surface temperature (how tree cover affects local heat). These analyses will help identify areas most in need of protection, guide funding priorities, and strengthen long-term conservation strategies.
What’s Next?
VDOF expects to complete its data collection and analysis later this fall, with an early version of an interactive online map and data tool ready for internal testing soon after. The agency will begin writing the technical report in early 2026.
By November 2026, VDOF plans to complete and deliver the final plan to the Governor and General Assembly. Once the report is submitted, DOF will release a public-friendly version and launch a web application, allowing communities, local governments, and residents to explore the findings.
Ultimately, this plan will set statewide goals and local priorities to ensure that Virginia protects forests and tree canopy where they’re most needed. This collaborative effort marks a pivotal moment for the commonwealth, one that will help ensure our shared natural legacy thrives for generations to come.
