First Landing is facing a crisis related to the destruction of the park’s natural forested area due to prohibited off-trail use and the creation of cut-throughs, short-cuts, and unofficial trails.
Trails are specially designed to minimize impacts and erosion. Trails are routed to avoid particularly delicate natural areas. When hikers go “off-trail”, ride bikes on hike-only trails, or create cut throughs, it can cause safety issues, damage the ecosystem, and cause other people to get disoriented.
There are over 5 miles of unoffical trails in the park today!!!
First Landing State Park is seeking sponsors to help pay for new trees to be planted in these impacted areas to restore these unofficial trails to their natural, forested state. We need over 3,000 trees to restore these areas!!
You can sponsor 1 tree for $3, 2 trees for $5, or 5 trees for $10; checks payable to Friends of First Landing State Park, 2500 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23451.
The park is also seeking Tree Army volunteers to help plant these saplings on Saturday, April 25 from 10am-1pm. Tree Army volunteers will prep the area, plant seedlings, and wrap them with tree guards. Ongoing volunteer opportunities to water the new saplings through the year are also available.
For information on volunteering for the Tree Army call 757-412-2300 and ask for Pam Kern, Volunteer Coordinator.