Partnering for Natural Plant Communities

We are excited to be collaborating with Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ (DGIF) Habitat Partners© Program to develop natural plant communities on our property at the Center. Through this partnership we will not only be laying the groundwork for Blue Ridge Discovery Center’s interpretative landscape, but also expanding the capacity in southwest Virginia to propagate local genotypes of native plants species for restoration and habitat projects.

To effectively propagate the plants, we are partnering with Wood Thrush Natives near Floyd, Virginia. The expertise of Wood Thrush Natives, a native plant nursery which specializes in propagation of local plants, will be critical for our goals to be met quickly. This collaborative project will enable BRDC to have plants available for developing natural plant communities at the Center and for use in our restoration and community habitat projects.

Beyond the restoration aspect, our Center landscaping and future projects will be great opportunities for regional educational programs about the value and importance of native plants for wildlife diversity. With BRDC programming and the vision of the Center’s future, interpretive and Watchable Wildlife opportunities will be readily available to the public.  With a mission to inspire curiosity, discovery, and stewardship through the wonders of the Blue Ridge, BRDC is ideally suited to provide native botanical education through the development of interpretive plant communities on the property.  With these partnerships, BRDC, DGIF and Wood Thrush Nursery will be able to increase public education on the importance of native plants for wildlife and habitat conservation while promoting restoration of natural plant communities.