Henrico’s Environmental Action Resource Team (H.E.A.R.T.) pledges to reduce the impact of Henrico County General Government and Henrico Schools on the environment. 

Henrico's Environmental Action Resource Team (H.E.A.R.T.) is made up of representatives from Henrico County government agencies dedicated to pushing forward county efforts to promote sustainability, preserve natural resources, beautify the community and protect the environment. We serve as a think tank for the county’s environmental initiatives and aim to streamline such programs. This committee was established by the Board of Supervisors and the County Manager in December of 2022.

Welcome to the first edition of the Henrico's Environmental Action Resource Team (H.E.A.R.T.) newsletter! 

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Energy and Resource Conservation

• The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is starting to see an increase in recycling participation after the rollout of 90,000 new carts this year.
• J.R. Tucker and Highland Springs high schools earned LEED Gold certification in August. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is an internationally used green building standard. 
• Other projects pursuing LEED certification include Firehouse 23, and the new Hermitage and Highland Springs Advanced Career Education (ACE) buildings.
• DPU is working toward piloting a smart water-metering program.
• Solar systems are currently being installed at the Recreation & Parks main office and Fairfield Area Library.
• Solar installations will begin later this fall at Holman middle and Harvie elementary schools.
• Lighting upgrades to LED continue across the county.
• An energy dashboard can be found on the H.E.A.R.T. website. Key points include:

o Total county-wide energy use intensity has decreased by about 10% since 2019

o Solar production nearly tripled in fiscal year 2023 compared to 2022

• Henrico has improved transportation options by adding sidewalks, bike storage, and bus stops across the county.
• The county purchased a stock of safety vests to provide to walking and biking enthusiasts for improved safety. Look for these at upcoming public events.
• Henrico is breaking ground on its 7.5-mile portion of the regional Fall Line Trail in October. 
• Preparations are underway for National Bike Month in May.

• A new native plant species list has been compiled and published on the H.E.A.R.T. website. Developers should find this list useful in complying with the county’s requirement that 35% of all landscaping must be native species. Residences may benefit from this resource as well.
• Work that started this summer on a reforestation project is proceeding into the fall, with numerous volunteer training and tree identification events being held. The targeted areas are Deep Run and Dorey parks and John Rolfe and Fairfield middle schools. Once these areas have their existing tree canopies mapped and identified, planting will start in the late fall. 
• DPU is piloting a pollinator habitat enhancement project and has begun selecting locations across the county to “grow and not mow.” Plantings will be selected that provide nectar and pollen to encourage pollinator activity. Benefits will include increased biodiversity, ecological stability and reduction of the noise, fuel and costs associated with traditional turf landscaping activities.

• Henrico hosted a floodplain symposium for the developer community in September that was very well-attended and well-received.
• A plan is in place to improve the plantings around Lake Hening at the Western Government Center which will include replacing non-native with native Virginia plant species. Planting will begin this fall.

James River Cleanup

Bark in the Park

Glen Allen Day