Virginia Working Landscapes (VWL) is a program of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute that promotes the conservation of native biodiversity and sustainable land use through research, education and community engagement. 

VWL partners with a regional network of organizations, landowners and citizen scientists in order to conduct innovative research on Virginia’s native plants and wildlife. Research is conducted on both public and private lands, with a focus on biodiversity, ecosystem services and threatened species.

Community engagement is key to this program. Each year, VWL trains a dedicated group of citizen scientists to conduct biodiversity surveys. The individuals play an important role both as researchers, and as conservation ambassadors in the community.

The data collected by citizen scientists is then used engage and educate local landowners about biodiversity and sustainable land-use.