Richmond, VA – Five years after Capital Region Land Conservancy first identified a 16-acre forested natural area that could be preserved for future public access near Southside Plaza between Hull Street Road and Midlothian Turnpike, the land has been generously donated by its former owner Bermuda Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Hexagon Energy from Charlottesville, Virginia.
The property will fill an important gap in providing all Richmonders with equitable access to park or green space within a 10-minute walk. It also inches the City of Richmond closer to its goal of providing such access to 100% of city residents by 2037. This ambitious goal is one of the “6 Big Moves” in the award-wining Richmond 300: A Guide for Growth comprehensive plan. The property would also meet the need for a new park and connect to a proposed greenway trail as shown in the Priority Growth Node for the Southside Plaza Area in the plan.
“As a nimble organization that can operate more freely in the marketplace, CRLC is proud to be a valued partner to local governments like the City of Richmond when it comes to identifying and securing land for future public access,” said Parker C. Agelasto, Executive Director of Capital Region Land Conservancy. “It’s like we have become an economic development authority but for nature and green space.”
According to the Trust for Public Land’s ParkServe model, the property would immediately serve more than 1,600 people in the Green Acres and Woodhaven neighborhoods with over 1,000 residents gaining such 10-minute walk access for the first time. Noted as an environmental justice community by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and an area that is highly vulnerable to climate change according to the RVAgreen 2050 Climate Equity Index, these neighborhoods are significantly impacted by environmental challenges such as urban heat island effect and stormwater flooding.
“As we learned more about the site and the City’s ambitious goals, we concurred that the highest and best use of the property would be to gift it for conservation purposes and allow Capital Region Land Conservancy to work on providing future public access,” said Matt Hantzmon, CEO at Hexagon Energy. “CRLC’s professional staff couldn’t have made the process any easier.”
The South Richmond property is an important green infrastructure with approximately 12.3 acres of freshwater emergent wetlands and 4.98 acres of freshwater forested/shrub wetlands. These wetlands serve as an important natural filtration for stormwater and riparian buffer along more than 1,500 feet of frontage on an unnamed stream. During the development of the nearby Belt Boulevard corridor the stream was channeled and buried underground until it discharges into Crooked Branch Ravine Park and flows into Reedy Creek and the James River.
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About Capital Region Land Conservancy (CRLC): Capital Region Land Conservancy is dedicated to conserving the natural and historic resources of Virginia’s Richmond region for the benefit of people and nature. The nonprofit land trust serves the City of Richmond and 19 surrounding counties. Since 2005, CRLC has helped protect more than 16,000 acres, including easements on more than 5,000 acres.
About Hexagon Energy: Hexagon Energy is an independent energy development firm based in Charlottesville, VA. Hexagon collaborates with landowners, businesses, and communities across Virginia and the broader United States to develop clean energy projects utilizing a range of technologies. To learn more visit www.hexagon-energy.com
Contact:
Parker Agelasto, Executive Director
parker@capitalregionland.org
202-302-0153
