News Release

Cedar Creek and Belle Grove NHP Seeks Public Input on Land Protection Plan in October 2023

Date: October 2, 2023
Contact: Karen Beck-Herzog

Middletown, Virginia –The National Park Service (NPS) has begun the process of preparing a Land Protection Plan. A Land Protection Plan integrates land acquisition into the overall park management planning process and is prepared for any park unit containing nonfederal land within its authorized boundary. The NPS is seeking public input on proposed criteria the park will use to evaluate potential future acquisitions and protection methods, including acquisition from willing sellers (via purchase, donation, or exchange) and cooperative approaches. The criteria has been developed in consultation with park partners including Belle Grove, Inc., the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.

The plan will support future park decision-making regarding the protection of core Civil War battlefield land, other natural and cultural resources, and scenic resources, as well as creating connections and connectivity for both trail corridors and habit corridors. This planning effort began in 2023.

The public is invited to attend a virtual public meeting on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, at 7:00 pm EST to learn more about the draft criteria and Land Protection Plans. For the meeting link or call-in information and to submit a comment visit: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/CEBELPPcriteria. Closed captioning will be available; the virtual meeting will not be recorded. T

he comment period will be open for 30 days and run October 2 - 31, 2023.