In Virginia, we are blessed with a diverse, resilient and sustainable forest resource. With just over 16 million acres of forestland in the Commonwealth, Virginia’s citizens enjoy many advantages provided by forests: environmental health, recreational opportunities, scenic beauty and the economic benefits of Virginia’s third-largest industry.

One of our founding principles at the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is to protect the Commonwealth’s forest resource, people and property from wildfires. In Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) we saw historical wildfire activity during both the fall and spring seasons. During the fall of 2023, DOF suppressed 139 wildfires that burned 24,916 acres, and in the spring of 2024, things did not let up, with the agency suppressing 411 wildfires that burned 19,933 acres, the most burned during a spring fire season in the last 30 years.

While there is increasing recognition of the benefits of trees and forests for our collective health, wildfire activity is only one mounting threat that put these benefits at risk. DOF continues to face challenges head on. We are working to address the spread of invasive plants, introduced insects such as spotted lanternfly and emerald ash borer, and increasing mortality of mature oak trees. DOF’s Forest Health program surveys Virginia for forest health disturbances, tests and utilizes many pest-control methods, provides technical assistance to landowners and assesses our forests using GIS mapping and even drones.

Given all the challenges facing the forest, we have been fortunate to see unprecedented support at the federal, state and local level. Also, beneficial legislation passed by the General Assembly included creation of the Forest Sustainability Fund and a tax credit for landowners who implement beneficial hardwood management practices.

I am very proud that this year DOF was called on to be the lead agency for the Commonwealth for two important initiatives. DOF is establishing the Office of Working Lands Preservation, combining the Office of Farmland Preservation formerly at the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) with our existing forestland conservation program. This change recognizes and builds on the success of our working forest conservation easement program and our partnership with the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) for the award-winning Generation NEXT program.

DOF was also selected as the lead for the multi-agency statewide invasive species management effort. This is a continuation of DOF’s collaboration with VDACS, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) to prevent the introduction of new invasive species and to control the spread of those already introduced.

This summer, DOF incorporated new biomass best management practices (BMPs) into our timber harvest inspection program. In the 2023 General Assembly session, HB2026 and SB1231 amended the Virginia Clean Economy Act to enable woody biomass to continue to be used as a source of electric power generation. The legislation directed DOF to develop BMPs for the sustainable harvesting of biomass.

The legislation directed that the BMPs include a life-cycle carbon analysis, developed in coordination with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and relevant stakeholders, that includes all carbon emissions, including supply chain emissions, forgone sequestration and the emissions from burning biomass resources for electricity generation.

This year, we also bid farewell to our 4 p.m. burn law road signs, that are “retiring" after 75 years of service. This sign of the changing times is an adjustment to our methods, but in no way represents a change to our mission. The cost, maintenance and staff safety on busy roads, all combined to propel this decision. Fortunately, DOF has various ways of messaging fire and safety information through various social media platforms, online, by working closely with our news media partners, and through ongoing public education and outreach.

Every day, the men and women of DOF work to protect and conserve our forest resource. Since you are reading this State of the Forest, we count you among the many invested stakeholders that we consider partners in this important mission. Together, we can raise awareness of the diverse forest benefits we – and our future generations – will enjoy.

/s/ Rob Farrell
State Forester