Environmental Programs

Community Clean Up Days

Community Clean Up Day is an annual event, held in both the spring and fall, that provides the opportunity for families, civic groups, clubs and other organizations to come together to clean up roadside litter throughout Spotsylvania County. Spotsylvania Parks & Recreation provides all supplies necessary to safely pick up roadside litter, bag it and have it transported to convenience sites. In the spring, the Community Clean Up Day event also invites the general public to the Marshall Center to visit multiple vendors for an Environmental Vendor Fair. Local agencies are able to set up and provide education on the effects of litter to local wildlife, the local laws related to littering, and the importance of keeping our environment clean. Please contact the Spotsylvania Parks & Recreation Department at 540-507-7529 for registration information. *All ages

Environmental Education Programs

Spotsylvania Parks & Recreation offers multiple Environmental Education Programs throughout the year, including: Frog Finders (in partnership with the Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office Division of Animal Control), Cops & Bobbers (in partnership with the Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office), and Nature Explorers Camp (in partnership with Lake Anna State Park).

The Frog Finders program is hosted by Spotsylvania Parks & Recreation and The Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office Division of Animal Control. For this program, participants meet at a County Reservoir and are first guided through a lesson in Environmental Science, such as identifying local wildlife in the area and the effects of litter on the wildlife and environment. After learning this information, participants are then able to embark on a nighttime frog finding expedition in the great outdoors. *Children ages 6-17

Cops and Bobbers, a popular summer program, allows children to learn about the ecosystem around a reservoir, while also presenting the opportunity to fish with The Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office. Participants meet at a County Reservoir, learn about the importance of properly disposing of litter, and are then grouped with Officers from the Sheriff’s Department to fish. Officers help participants work on their fishing knowledge and skills. *Children ages 9-14

The Nature Explorers Camp is a week-long day camp held each year at Lake Anna State Park. Spotsylvania Parks & Recreation partners with Lake Anna State Park to offer a fun-filled week outside with activities such as fishing, canoeing, hiking, crafts and more. The goal of Nature Explorers Camp is to promote environmental awareness and stewardship, and to encourage campers to learn about (1) natural resources in their area and conservation of these resources, and (2) the problems associated with pollution. *Children ages 9-13

Litter Display Boxes

Spotsylvania Parks & Recreation has recently worked on creating an informative Litter Display Box, which is on display in the Marshall Center Main Lounge. This Litter Display Box showcases common items that are improperly discarded, and the amount of time that each item takes to decompose. The Display Box is mainly housed in the Marshall Center Main Lounge, but is also taken for display at other programs and events ran by Spotsylvania Parks & Recreation. The department will have five Litter Displays Box available to rotate between Spotsylvania County Public Schools throughout the school year for supplemental use in Environmental Science units.

Clean Up & Cash In

Clean Up & Cash In is a program to maintain an organized clean-up effort to enable and encourage non-profit groups needing to earn money for their organization, while at the same time addressing litter problem areas in Spotsylvania County. This program utilizes area non-profit, civic, church, and youth groups. The non-profit organizations participate in a roadside litter clean up, and for their efforts they receive $5.00 per bag of litter/recycling picked-up. Interested groups are encouraged to register by contacting the Parks & Recreation Department at 540-507-7529. Groups register and pick up supplies (safety vests, pickers, bags) at the Parks & Recreation Office. *All ages       

Free Little Libraries  

 The Spotsylvania “Free Little Library” program was established in the fall of 2019. Libraries are placed in the following locations:

- Arritt Park Playground

- Belmont Park Playground

- Chewning Park Playground

- Cosner Park Playground

- Harrison Road Convenience Site Playground

- Keswick Park Playground

- Loriella Park Office

- Loriella Park Playground

- Marshall Park Playground

- Patriot Park Amphitheater

- Patriot Park Playground

Each library is filled with books related to environmental education and topics such as litter awareness, the importance of recycling, and Earth Day. Libraries offer the public the opportunity to visit Spotsylvania County parks facilities and borrow books from a “little library”. Guests can either return the book they borrowed, or replace it with a book from home. Spotsylvania Parks & Recreation graciously accepts donations of new or gently used books to maintain the inventory within the libraries.