Department of Conservation and Recreation
Conserve. Protect. Enjoy.
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Virginia’s working farms and forests, battlefields and other historic sites, natural areas, parks and rivers are critical to its economy, culture and quality of life. In 1999, the assembly and governor established the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation (VLCF) to fund protection of these resources. The interactive map below depicts VLCF-grant projects funded since 2000.
| Name: | Eastern Shore Forest Conservation Initiative II (FY24) |
|---|---|
| Category: | Forestland Preservation |
| Grant Round: | FY24 |
| Acres: | 476 |
| Locality: | Accomack County |
| Management Agency: | Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources |
| Owner: | State |
| ConserveVirginia: | Natural Habitat & Ecosystem Diversity, Floodplains & Flooding Resilience, Water Quality Improvement |
| Amount Awarded: | $300,000.00 |
| Applicant: | Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources |
| Latitude: | 37.699233 |
| Longitude: | -75.791548 |
| Description: | This funding is for the acquisition, conservation, and improvement of 476 acres of forestland in Accomack County to complement a recently completed VLCF-funded initiative to purchase 8,800 acres on the Eastern Shore. These properties tie together three disjunct properties that the DWR currently owns, consolidating ownership and removing complicated boundary and access issues. This fee-simple acquisition presents opportunities to facilitate natural marsh migration, support coastal resiliency, provide new public lands for wildlife-related recreation, and, importantly, improve habitat for migratory birds and species of greatest conservation need in an area of hemispheric importance. The lack of sufficient food and shelter in the Virginia portion creates an energy deficit for birds attempting to cross the Chesapeake Bay and continue southward migration. Changes in population demographics and industrial agriculture in the area, along with loss of existing natural habitats, are additional stressors on wildlife. The addition of this acreage to the public land portfolio will provide for daily public access for wildlife viewing, hunting, fishing, hiking, and more. |
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