
Virginia is kicking off a year-long study looking at the effects recreational users have on the state's wildlife management areas.
Starting tomorrow, researchers with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and Virginia Tech University will be interviewing people at some of the state's most heavily used areas. They include the C.F. Phelps area in southern Fauquier County and nine others around Virginia.
The study is the first step in a multi-year effort to assess usage patterns and develop management plans. The department of Game and Inland Fisheries owns and maintains 38 wildlife management areas totaling nearly 200,000 acres. Its mission is to maintain optimum populations of all species and to provide opportunities for outdoor recreation, including hunting, fishing, hiking, and boating.
Matt McCleskey has more...

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