NOVA Parks News
THROWBACK THURSDAY—NOVA PARKS—NATURE: CAN YOU DIG IT!
In 1973 learning about the environment in a regional park was ‘far out.’ Students from the newly formed Youth Conservation Corp came from both local colleges and high schools to learn about natural systems and work to protect our natural resources. The article featured in this week’s Throwback Thursday shows students testing water quality at Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville, Virginia.
These were the early days of the environmental movement. The Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973, and the EPA had been started just four years earlier. Bald Eagles were nearly extinct at that point. Parks then and now provide a place where people can come and connect with the environment.
Environmental education has always been part of who NOVA Parks is. Today nature camps, roving naturalists, and countless programs and exhibits help the public gain a better knowledge of our natural world. In 1973 NOVA Parks was 7,000 acres and today it has grown to over 12,000 acres. 90% of that land is in a natural state and provides habitat for wildlife and stress relieving getaway for millions of visitors every year.
