Awesome workamping opportunity near Richmond, VA. Volunteers needed at New Kent Forestry Center, Virginia Department of Forestry.

Located halfway between Richmond and Williamsburg in Providence Forge, VA this volunteer position requires 10 hrs per person per week in exchange for a full hook up site. The volunteer campground is located in a scenic and quiet section of the property with lots of birds and wildlife. Access to the Chicahominy River for canoes or kayaks on the property.

Work mostly involves mowing grass around offices with zero turn mowers and in pine orchards with farm tractor and brush hog. Women help out in office and conference center with cleaning, filing and other projects.

The staff is very friendly, easygoing and great to get along with. This is a low stress volunteer position. Time commitment is anything from a month to a full season.

The area has no end of things to do and see, the area is loaded with colonial, revolutionary war and Civil War history sites. Shopping, restaurants, nightlife in both Richmond and Williamsburg. About 1.5 hours to Virginia Beach. Groceries and basics also available in Providence Forge.

We have been volunteering there for 3 years now and will definitely be back in the future. 

Feel free to contact us for more info or contact Jeff Stout or Lisa Burke at the Forestry Center at 804.966.2201.

In 2003 we spent time at Agusta Forestry Center and had a pretty similar experience. But we did get involved in the tree farm operations with the most interesting thing that we did being to help the forester inventory the growing supply of seedling trees. It sounds as though the Virginia Dept. of Forestry continues to be a great place to spend some time.

The New Kent facility harvests pine cones which provide the seeds for new seedlings. It is an interesting operation and we sometimes get involved in some aspects of that. There has also been an educational aspect where school groups would come in to experience the various habitats that exist on the property but that is reporetedly ending and being moved elsewhere.

  On 6/2/2018 at 3:45 AM, Tcwndsr said:

Work mostly involves mowing grass around offices with zero turn mowers and in pine orchards with farm tractor and brush hog.  Women help out in office and conference center with cleaning, filing and other projects. 

Wow.

We are workamping 45 minutes from New Kent Forestry. Upon Tom and Mare's recommendation here, Pat and I drove over yesterday morning and met with Lisa and Jeff. Super nice folks. They gave us a tour of the volunteer sites and mentioned our duties as a volunteer. Schedule permitting, we hope to volunteer there in the near future.

Thanks Tom and Mare.

Sounds like you might be at Gray’s Point or Bethpage? From what I’ve heard of those two you’ll enjoy the Forestry Center MUCH more! 

Bethpage. Agree 100% with your post.

RV sites under the pines, is pine sap a problem?

Al

  On 5/19/2019 at 8:01 PM, Ski said:

RV sites under the pines, is pine sap a problem?

Al

Yes. And the pine cones hitting the roof sound like hand grenades. That is, if you are parked directly under the trees. Chuck

We didn’t have that much of a problem with sap, we had a bit of a clearing over our site. The pollen was another story but that washes off easily and is only an issue for a short period, should be done by now.