Woodbridge

The Friends of Leesylvania State Park is awarded a $1,000 Green Grant in the Litter Prevention Category as part of our 13th Annual Green Grants Program.

Every year, government, non-profit, civic, and service organizations in Virginia are invited to apply for grants ranging from $500 to $1,000 that will help address an environmental concern in their community. Grants must focus on one of the following priorities: Litter Prevention, Recycling, Cigarette Litter Prevention, or Community Beautification.

The Friends of Leesylvania State Park (FOLSP), in Woodbridge, strives to enhance the educational and recreational opportunities for all park users, while protecting the historic and natural resources, and aesthetics of the park.

In 2021, the park saw 474,519 guests in the park, and that number continues to increase each year as the population of Northern Virginia grows. With so many guests taking part in recreational opportunities such as swimming, picnicking, hiking, paddling, fish and more, the park accumulates large amounts of trash.  Many of the current trash cans that are in the park are rusted, broken, and difficult for park staff and volunteers to pull out the filled trash bags.

With funds provided by the Green Grant award, FOLSP will purchase new trash cans for the park, and build stands for the cans for easier maintenance.  In addition, more cleanup supplies for volunteers will be purchased, such are buckets, bags, and grabbers, to Support the park’s “Trash It Tuesday.”  This program  invites volunteers to the park every Tuesday to pick up a bucket of litter, and in return they will receive free ice cream!

That sounds like a great incentive to get people involved in litter cleanups with the warmer weather ahead!  Congratulations to the Friends of Leesylvania State Park, keep up the good work!