The Commonwealth of Virginia is blessed with abundant and varied natural resources, from the bountiful Chesapeake in the east to the intriguing karst formations and mountains in the west.  An environmentally literate citizenry that understands and appreciates these resources is critical to maintaining them.  

Virginia has much to be proud of in environmental education.  The Virginia Resource Use Education Council (VRUEC), comprising staff (see Appendix II) from Virginia’s Secretariats of Natural Resources, Education, Health and Human Services and Commerce and Trade, has initiated important projects for enhancing environmental literacy in Virginia.  Perhaps the most significant of these is the Virginia Naturally web site, which serves as a gateway to resources for environmental education.  Museums, national, state, and local parks, private parties, non-profit organizations, colleges and universities, and local communities also contribute to environmental literacy in the Commonwealth.