VDGIF Acquires Short Hills WMA

VDGIF Acquires Short Hills Wildlife Management Area in Botetourt-Rockbridge

VDGIF announced that it has acquired Short Hills Wildlife Management Area, a 4,232-acre tract in Rockbridge and Botetourt counties. The acquisition involved The Wildlife Foundation of Virginia and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation who combined resources to provide interim funding to assist the VDGIF with the acquisition. VDGIF Executive Director Bob Duncan noted, "Without the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and The Wildlife Foundation of Virginia this acquisition could not have been possible."

The Virginia Outdoors Foundation used a grant from The Virginia Land Conservation Bond Funds to purchase the northern half of the Short Hills tract with the ultimate intention of transferring the property to VDGIF. The Wildlife Foundation of Virginia purchased the southern half of Short Hills using loan funding from The Conservation Fund and held the property until VDGIF had accumulated the necessary funds to purchase the southern tract. VDGIF purchased that parcel for $3 million and closed on the property on July 2, 2010. The remainder of the tract was acquired when the Virginia Outdoors Foundation donated it to the Department in conjunction with the purchase.

The Short Hills WMA consists of an approximately 10-mile long ridgeline, known as Short Hills Mountain, which runs from just south of Lexington, on south to Natural Bridge. The property contains habitat for game and non-game species including black bear, deer, turkey, ruffed grouse, songbirds, raptors, and rattlesnakes. A management plan is being developed for the site. Information about public access will be available once that plan is finalized.

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Parkway eliminates hunter permit program

Officials with the Blue Ridge Parkway have announced a decision regarding how hunters will be able to use parkway property to access adjacent hunting grounds.

Hunters will no longer be required to obtain a special access permit in order to pass through Blue Ridge Parkway property to land where hunting is allowed.

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