At the direction of the Virginia General Assembly, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (VDWR) has convened a workgroup to develop a set of recommendations on access permit fees and other alternatives for use of public-access boat ramps by human-powered crafts. Selected workgroup members represented a range of stakeholders from both private and public sectors and included outdoor educators, commercial outfitters, river conservation advocates, municipal officials, and tourism representatives.
To develop final recommendations, VDWR hosted three stakeholder workgroup sessions to inform workgroup members of their legislative responsibilities and identify opportunities for various funding mechanisms as well as discuss other issues related to the use and maintenance of Department-owned boat ramp facilities.
The Performance Management Group (PMG) within VCU’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs facilitated these sessions to help guide a collaborative yet productive working process. All meetings were open and available to the public, with two community members opting to participate as public observers.