Since 2006, the New River Valley Planning District Commission has led an effort to identify and conserve the region's natural and cultural assets. This effort began with a series of educational community meetings and has included a process to map the region's assets.
It is estimated that the natural and cultural assets of the region generate over $200 million in revenue every year from agricultural and forestal goods produced and tourism revenue. These valuable resources are under stress due to the population growth experienced in the region. Since 2000, the population in the NRV has grown by 13%, while losing over 25,000 acres of farmland.
With limited resources and continually challenging state and local budgets, it is essential to focus conservation efforts on the most significant areas that have the most positive impact. The current planning process has focused on identifying ecologically important areas by working with a diverse group of local professionals providing input and guidance.
This website is the result of this nearly 3 year process. Here you will find a description of the planning process and the methods used to identify the NRV's natural and cultural assets, as well as the maps produced by these methods. Following these maps, there is a discussion of best practices or recommended actions to conserve these assets for future generations.
It is our hope that localities within the NRV and local citizens will use the information provided in this site to conserve all the natural and cultural assets that make the region unique.