The Shenandoah National Park Trust is proud to announce the newest license plate available to Virginians.

The colorful, eye-catching plate will raise funds that will be donated to the Shenandoah National Park for priority projects that protect the treasured natural and historical resources of the Park and enhance visitors’ experiences there.

Gov. Tim Kaine signed the bill authorizing the license plate program in March. The blue and green-tone license plate features a black bear, Skyline Drive, and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The trust is now accepting applications for these new plates and must collect 350 orders with payments by July 15 in order for the Department of Motor Vehicles to begin its review and production process. Prices are $25 for non-personalized plates and $35 for personalized plates.

Pending DMV approval, the new Shenandoah National Park Trust license plates should be delivered to purchasers within about ten months. Information on how to order Shenandoah National Park Trust license plates can be found on the trust’s Website or by calling 434-293-2728.

Trust Executive Director Susan Sherman says, “Shenandoah is one of the most beloved national parks in the nation, and we in Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area are incredibly fortunate to be able to claim it as our own.”

The park offers 518 miles of trails, more than a dozen waterfalls, 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail, and the 105-mile Skyline Drive. The park is also home to Rapidan Camp, the former summer getaway of President and Mrs. Hoover.

The new Shenandoah National Park Trust license plates are being issued at a time when there is a renewed interest in national parks: the federal stimulus bill contains monies for national parks; the U.S. Mint will be producing new quarters, each of which will feature the image of a National Park Service unit; and Ken Burns’ much-anticipated series on the national parks is generating significant buzz.

Additionally, Shenandoah National Park will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2011 and the National Park Service turns 100 in 2016.

Shenandoah National Park Trust is an official non-profit partner of the national park. The trust raises funds to support programs that restore, protect, and maintain natural and historical resources in the park.