The DWR welcomes nominations for excellent birding and wildlife viewing sites to be added to the Virginia Bird and Wildlife Trail (VBWT). To nominate a new site, please review the process outlined below and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at birdingtrail@dwr.virginia.gov.
- Print off the VBWT New Site Nomination Form (PDF) and fill it out completely, remembering to attach a map and any supporting documentation, brochures, etc. that you have that provides background about your site.
- Send your form to the address at the bottom of page 3 of the nomination form.
- Watchable Wildlife biologists will contact you when the form is received and confirm the contact information. You will also be given an approximate timeframe for when a site evaluation visit will be scheduled.
- All new site nominations will be added to the queue and will be processed in the order they are received.
- A Watchable Wildlife biologist will contact you to schedule a visit to the site. During this visit the biologist will look at wildlife resources on the property, amenities, access issues, parking facilities, motor coach accessibility, safety issues, etc. The biologist will also, upon site owner/manager request, provide specific recommendations for signage and other possible enhancements to improve the visitor’s experience.
- After the visit, the site owner/manager (as listed on the nomination form) will be sent a draft description of the site for the VBWT Web site. The site owner/manager needs to review this carefully, make any revisions they feel necessary, check off all services available at the facility, and then sign the form and return it to the address at the bottom of the form. Note: If a site is declined, the site owner/manager will receive a written description of reasons why the site was not suitable to be added to the Trail.
- Once the revised draft is received, the description, driving directions and a revised loop map for the loop the site is being added too, will be posted on the Web site, usually within two months of the site evaluation. New sites will also be added to any and all new editions of the hard copy guides published in the future