Virginians are once again being encouraged to throw some shade—in their landscapes, that is.
Tucked among Virginia’s 16 million acres of forestland are families’ rich stories of stewardship and dedication to the land.
A tree was planted 15 years ago. Today it was harvested. Tomorrow it will be processed into essential fiber, wood products and electricity, and next year another tree will be replanted in its place.
A newly released study found that the annual economic impact of Virginia’s agriculture and forestry sectors increased by nearly 7% since similar research was conducted in 2016.
Virginia forests provided $21 billion to the state’s economy in 2017. More than 62 percent of the commonwealth qualifies as forestland, according to the Virginia Department of Forestry.