RICHMOND, virginia

Biophilic Cities Partner City Since 2019

Richmond, Virginia, is a city founded on and filled with nature. In 1737, William Byrd II, Richmond’s founder, looked out over the James River into the surrounding woodlands and declared that he was reminded of his home on the Thames in Richmond Hill, England. The “view that named Richmond” today displays the integration of urban life and nature.

Among the nearly 3,000 acres of parkland in the city are green spaces ranging from pocket parks nestled in historic neighborhoods to regional attractions like the James River Park System. The City recognizes that these spaces are critical for managing stormwater, providing animal habitats, improving health outcomes, and providing a sense of place, among other benefits. The James River Park System hosts a rich array of species – 14 mammal species, 170 bird species, 10 frog species, 100 insect species, and more than 450 species of wildflowers, grasses, trees, shrubs, and wetland and aquatic plants. The James River also serves as spawning ground for migratory fishes that swim from the ocean and Chesapeake Bay. Other resources such as the Maymont Nature Center and Farm provide valuable educational opportunities for visitors to learn about and experience firsthand many animal species that inhabit the natural areas within and around Richmond.

Many of Richmond’s existing plans and projects identify the numerous ways in which residents and visitors can already interact with nature across the city, and how expanding those opportunities can provide many benefits. Examples include the Downtown Plan, Riverfront Plan, and the current and forthcoming master plans. In the past several years, the City has undertaken projects to improve parks such as the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge, a pedestrian and cycling bridge spanning the James River and connecting green spaces on both sides. In addition to actions taken by the City government, Richmonders are engaged in improving their park system – there are over 40 Friends of Parks groups and 34 community gardens across the city. These groups participate in park clean-ups and plantings, raise funding for improvements, and advocate. Richmond’s natural spaces have also gained national recognition, with the city named America’s Best River Town in 2012 by Outside Magazine.

Sign up for updates on Biophilic RVA, a community-led effort to ensure citizens have rich contact with the flourishing natural world as an element of daily life.

City Contact: Brianne Mullen, Sustainability Coordinator, Brianne.Mullen@Richmondgov.com

local INTIATIVES

By expanding on its existing plans and projects and becoming a Biophilic City, Richmond can set an example as a city that contains abundant biodiversity and nature, that works to conserve and create new natural resources, and fosters a connection to the natural world.

James River Park System Master Plan: The James River Park System is the number one tourist attraction in the region. This Master Plan addresses the quality of the experience for Park users, protects the health of the river and wildlife, and preserves its natural beauty.

Richmond 300: The City’s master plan update has identified parks and natural resources as areas of focus.

RVAgreen 2050: The City’s equity-centered climate action and resilience planning initiative will consider co-benefits for the natural environment when selecting actions to implement.