Article date: September 28, 2000

By: Dan M. Telvock

Tourism and wildlife do mix, and the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries wants to integrate the $15.9 billion birding industry with local tourism by creating a regional birding and wildlife trail.

On Monday, David Whitehurst, the department’s wildlife diversity director, held a community meeting at the Warren County Government Center to discuss the idea of implementing a Virginia Birding Trail that will eventually cover the whole state.

The program is being modeled after a similar experiment in Texas, the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, that has proven to be successful, Whitehurst said, adding that the Texas program has increased local tax revenue and connects people with nature.

"This type of trail would help people enjoy the wildlife," Whitehurst said. "If you don’t value something, it’s very hard to protect it. We want people to value wildlife,"

This fall the department will introduce birding trails to communities in western Virginia. The project has already begun in the Coastal Plain region of Virginia.

"The Birding Trail will be a driving trail linking Virginia’s best wildlife viewing areas," Whitehurst said. "Working with local communities, federal and state agencies, landowners, organizations and individuals, our goal is to secure federal TEA-21 (Transportation Enhancement Act) funding to create the Birding and Wildlife Trail."

Whitehurst said the successful implementation of this project greatly depends on community support.

"The success of the Birding Trail will depend on community guidance, support, and participation," he said.

According to Whitehurst, nature tourism is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry in the United States. In Virginia alone, nearly $700 million is spent annually on wildlife-watching recreation.

"The establishment of the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail is an ideal opportunity for local communities and wildlife-watchers alike to participate in this exciting project," Whitehurst said.

The western project includes a main driving trail with loops that will link some of the best wildlife watching sites in Virginia.

Whitehurst said over 400 resident and migratory bird species are seen annually in Virginia, which is one of the highest recorded.

The Coastal Birding Trail includes all counties bisected by, and east of, Interstate 95. The Western Birding Trail will be along Interstate 81 and will include the western mountainous areas. The loop routes for the trail will follow existing road systems and will feature popular and lesser-known tourist spots, such as state parks, wildlife management areas and national wildlife refuges.

In order to get public support, community meetings will be held. The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries will take submissions for land or parks that would be considered a great place for a birding trail. Then the department will send out professionals to provide assistance and review the sites that community members chose. The Avtex Superfund site’s Nature Conservancy Park will be submitted as at least one area that should be included in the western trail.

"We fully expect the site selection process and route delineation to create partnerships between government agencies, local industries, land managers, community leaders, bird watchers and conservation organizations," said Whitehurst.

Whitehurst said DGIF will be leading the way and contractors as well as other partners will be actively involved in other elements of the project. Fermata Inc., a nationally recognized firm that works in nature based tourism is one group that will be involved in the initial process.

Whitehurst revealed a list of positive effects a similar initiative had in Texas and said there’s no reason the idea can’t work in Virginia.

"If this area wants it, it’s out there," he said. "We’re getting ready to ask for nominations in the west. We can do a lot better job in telling people where they can go for wildlife. I think Virginia is a lot prettier that Texas and we definitely have a lot more culture and history."

With the numbers Whitehurst provided, bird watching is a hobby that brings big tourism bucks to areas that offer trails and sites. In Texas, over $980 was spent per person while traveling on the trail. Whitehurst said over $600 of that money was spent within the region and the rest was spent within the state or out of state.

"In Virginia, the average traveler spends $55 per day," said Whitehurst. "These people (bird watchers) are spending more that the average travelers. Birders are 26 percent more likely to stop at a historical site that the average traveler."

Whitehurst said with more local pit stopping, money will gave to be spent for lodging, food or on other tourist spots.

With the Coastal Phase underway, Whitehurst said bird and wildlife trails should be looped together by the end of this year. The department received $500,000 from the state to begin the project. Whitehurst said he would like to see the western part of Virginia form its trails by the end of 2001.

"The western (trail) is going to be a longer area, but I hope we can do it with a million (dollars in funds), but that’s off the top of my head," Whitehurst said. "All I want to do is get it built. How we do it doesn’t matter to me."

The first community meeting in the area is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in room 102 at Lord Fairfax Community College in Middletown.