Key concepts include:
1. watersheds and water resources;
2. animals and plants;
3. minerals, rocks, ores, and energy sources;
4. forests, soil, and land

WATERSHEDS

• A watershed is an area over which surface water (and the materials it carries) flows to a single collection place.
  
• The Chesapeake Bay watershed covers approximately half of Virginia’s land area.

• The other two major watershed systems are the Gulf of Mexico and the North Carolina Sounds.

VIRGINIA’S NATURAL RESOURCES

• Virginia is rich in a wide variety of natural resources, including forests, arable (farmable) land, coal, sand and aggregates (rocks), wildlife and aquatic organisms, clean water and air, and beautiful scenery.
• Virginia’s water resources include groundwater, lakes, reservoirs, rivers, bays, and the Atlantic Ocean.

• Virginia has a great variety of plant and animal resources.
• Natural and cultivated forests are a widespread resource in Virginia.
• Virginia’s soil and land support a great variety of life, provide space for many economic activities, and offer a variety of recreational opportunities.