Scenic Virginia Inc

VIRGINIA VIEWSHED PROJECT: SCENIC VIRGINIA CONTINUED TO MAKE GREAT PROGRESS ON THIS AMAZING PROGRAM -- THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE U.S. - THAT SEEKS TO IDENTIFY, RECOGNIZE, AND PRESERVE VIRGINIA'S MOST SPECIAL SCENIC PLACES FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. TREASURED VIEWS: IN JANUARY 2023, WE KICKED OFF OUR TREASURED VIEWS PROGRAM IN GORGEOUS RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTY, WHERE WE ASKED LOCAL RESIDENTS TO SHARE WITH US THEIR FAVORITE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE VIEWS. SCENIC VIRGINIA PLANS TO VISIT EVERY LOCALITY IN THE COMMONWEALTH TO ASK RESIDENTS WHAT SCENIC PLACES THEY CARE ABOUT MOST AND WOULD BE DEVASTATED TO LOSE. VIRGINIA VIEWSHED REGISTER: VISTAS IDENTIFIED AS SPECIAL AT THE LOCAL LEVEL CAN BE NOMINATED FOR INCLUSION ON OUR VIRGINIA VIEWSHED REGISTER, OUR BEST-OF-THE-BEST LISTING OF IMPORTANT SCENIC PLACES. SCENIC VIRGINIA WORKED WITH VIRGINIA TECH AND A DISTINGUISHED PANEL OF VISUAL QUALITY EXPERTS TO DEVELOP AND TEST THE PROTOCOLS FOR NOMINATION, EVALUATION, AND DESIGNATION TO THE VIEWSHED REGISTER. IN 2023, THE VIEWSHED EXPERTS DESIGNATED "THE VIEW THAT NAMED RICHMOND," THE PANORAMA THAT IS THE REASON FOR THE NAMING OF VIRGINIA'S CAPITOL CITY, AS THE INAUGURAL DESIGNATION. PARTNERSHIPS WITH VIRGINIA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: SCENIC VIRGINIA IS WORKING WITH VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY ON A PROJECT TO MAP THE VIEWS AND VISTAS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE TREASURED VIEWS AND VIRGINIA VIEWSHED REGISTER PROCESSES. 2023 VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION: AS ALWAYS, SCENIC VIRGINIA MONITORED THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION FOR BILLS THAT WOULD HAVE A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE COMMONWEALTH'S SCENIC RESOURCES.