Governor Glenn Youngkin has announced that Matthew Wells is the next director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. The DCR is Virginia’s lead natural resource conservation agency, overseeing the commonwealth’s natural habitat, parks, clean water, dams and access to the outdoors.

A 280-acre parcel of the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship preserve in western Loudoun County has been acquired by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation for the development of a new state park.

Ahead of the holiday season, the National Park Service (NPS) has planted a new National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse in President’s Park. The new tree, a 27-foot white fir (Abies Concolor) from Middleburg, Pa. was donated by Hill View Christmas Tree Farm, and will be the first white fir to serve as the National Christmas Tree.

The U.S. Senate has passed H.R. 2278, bipartisan legislation to designate the “September 11th National Memorial Trail”, a trail route linking the National September 11th Memorial and Museum in New York City, the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

Warrior Challenge Course at Prince William County's Locust Shade Park in Triangle has been temporarily closed due to an unforeseen complication.

This ninja warrior-style outdoor obstacle course is located 1.5 miles from Marine Corp Base Quantico. Seth Hendler-Voss, Director of Prince William County Parks, Recreation & Tourism, said "the project removed existing barriers to accessibility at the park and complements MCBQ’s portfolio of high-quality recreation resources with a collection of unique fitness amenities that are presently not offered for Marine families.”

The 2021 commemoration will take place on the weekend of July 17-18, and on the anniversary of the battle itself on Wednesday, July 21.

On May 24, George Liffert of Woodbridge became the new superintendent of Prince William Forest Park, the national park in Triangle where he started his career as a park ranger with the National Park Service (NPS).