If you’ve been to CRLC’s Varina LandLab Conservation Area lately, you’ve likely seen numerous changes to the parkland as we’ve made great strides this year. Thanks to partnerships with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund, Virginia Department of Forestry and USDA Forest Service, and a private grantor, several significant improvements have been made to the property since its grand opening in 2023.
1. New Visitor Kiosk and map at the entrance to Trailhead #1.
2. The opening of the new Connector Trail between the Main Loop Trail and Four Mile Creek Overlook adds an additional 1.5 mile loop that can be accessed either from Trailhead #1 or #2.
3. Three new educational signs illustrated by artist Nick Garnhart. Located on the Four Mile Creek Overlook Trail and Connector Trail, which is accessible from Trailhead #2, these amenities help orient visitors to the land, habitats, use, and management, including about prescribed burns and creating wildlife habitat plus grasslands birds that inhabit the property.
4. Meadow maintenance and native wildflower restoration plantings along the trails at Trailhead #3.
5. Erosion control at Trailhead #2 along a steep hillslope using catch dams, riprap, and hydroseeding.
6. New foot bridges at Trailhead #3 along the Roundabout Loop Trail and James River Trail.
7. Hikers will find it easier to navigate the trails with new trail markings throughout the property with QR codes.
8. Vortex Binoculars and scopes are now available for public outreach events coordinated by CRLC.
9. Invasive species control of Sericea Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata), Common Reed (Phragmites australis), Privet, and Japanese Stiltgrass in areas off Trailhead #3.
10. As one of the nonprofit beneficiaries of the Richmond ToolBanks’s 2024 “Hammers & Ales” event, CRLC added new picnic tables and benches throughout the LandLab this summer.
11. Additional game cameras have been installed to watch wildlife and monitor park usage.
12. Boot Scrub Station installed at Trailhead #3 thanks to Virginia Department of Forestry and USDA Forest Service to help prevent the spread of invasive plant species at the Varina Landlab.
13. CRLC was honored to work with sculptor, Reece Camp Carter, to add the unique site-specific art installation to the Varina LandLab Conservation Area. Completed in late October 2024, visitors will find “Repurpose: a midpoint” along Four Mile Creek Trail off Trailhead #2. The 150-foot work is crafted from found materials at the site and those donated by partners, TrueTimber Arborists, and is designed as a long-term structure at the property that will eventually disappear back into the land, mirroring the fragility and cycle of nature.
Find information and the trail map for your next visit to the Varina LandLab Conservation Area – CRLC’s 353-acre parkland located on Deep Bottom Road next to Deep Bottom Park in eastern Henrico County in Varina. Open dawn to dusk, the site offers over 5 miles of trails for hiking and birding with scenic views of the James River and Four Mile Creek and open space for health and contemplation.
Ashley Moulton
Land Stewardship Manager
