Grants and Initiatives

Whitehurst (Phase II) | Sound Investment (Phase I & II) | Roanoke River Migratory Bird Initiative (Phase III) | Roanoke River Migratory Bird Initiative (Phases I & II) | Southern Tip Ecological Partnership (Phase I)

Virginia Rural Area Conservation and Economic Restoration (VA RACER)

The Virginia Rural Area Conservation and Economic Restoration (VA RACER) is an initiative to restore the Roanoke, Pigg, and Dan River watersheds in southwestern Virginia through community-led habitat projects and environmental outreach for private landowners and school-age youth. The objective is to engage small to medium-sized landowners, towns, and schools in southwestern Virginia in a watershed-wide effort to reap economic benefits by improving river health. Individuals and communities would work together to become better stewards of their river systems, enjoy cleaner water, and establish sustainable tourism opportunities. The health of watersheds is critical to the economy of the rural communities that depend on them. Several communities in the Roanoke/Pigg/Dan watersheds have expressed great interest in becoming pro-active in improving their rivers. The Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service want to partner with others to foster private land stewardship in rural areas and help communities thrive. As principal cooperators, they will work together to establish a broad-based partnership to make VA RACER happen.


Photographs of Power Dam which is planned for removal as part of VA RACER Credit: USFWS

Issues within the watersheds include:

Waterway impediments—including out-dated dams and abandoned wastewater lines that create safety issues and severely impact fish habitat and recreational activities such as fishing, kayaking, and canoeing
Sedimentation/nitrification—non-point source pollution decreases oxygen levels and reduces food availability
Endangered species recovery—these watersheds are home to the federally listed Roanoke logperch
Environmental outreach and technical assistance—these opportunities are reduced in rural watersheds outside the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia.

Goals:

Remove Rocky Mounty Dam and develop blueway recreation
Restore riparian corridors in headwater and tributary streams
Support and highlight small to medium landowner conservation
Develop a youth based stream monitoring initiative and host landowner habitat workshops.

Benefits:

Increased oppurtunities for eco-tourism
Water quality improvement
Re-open 80 miles of river habitat to native fish
Recovery of the Roanoke logperch
Provide increased oppurtunities for outdoor education
Safety (removal of failing dams and reduction of E. coli contamination)

Partners

Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation
US Fish and Wildlife Service
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
American Sportfishing Association/Fish America
Town of Rocky Mount, Virginia
Franklin County, Virginia
City and County of Roanoke, Virginia
Western Virginia Land Trust
Virginia Tech/Conservation Management Institute
VA Department of Game and Inland Fisheries

VA Department of Environmental Quality
4-H of Virginia
Friends of the Roanoke River
The Nature Conservancy
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service-FSA Programs
Ducks Unlimited
Southwest VA private landowners
Upper Roanoke River Roundtable
Trout Unlimited
US Army Corps of Engineers-Wilmington

Whitehurst (Phase II)

The projects included in this grant are located in one of the fastest developing areas in Virginia. Permanently protecting land in this area will help stem the tide of development. Enhancement and restoration of this area will provide high quality habitat in a very diverse area. The project area contains more rare plants than any other location east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, including three plants species considered globally rare: cypress-knee sedge, winged seedbox, and awned mountain mint. It is also one of the last remaining strongholds of the state listed canebrake rattlesnake. Projects from this grant provide a large block of habitat for migratory bird species that get funneled into the area across the Chesapeake Bay. The projects are also located between two areas that are considered globally significant for birds, the Outer Banks of North Carolina and the Delmarva Peninsula, which is a further indication of the ecological value of the project area. This grant resulted in protection of 715 acres, restoration of 680 acres, and enhancement of 1,315 acres. It includes projects located on land adjacent to Virginia Beach, Back Bay, and on Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.


Photo of ditch before plug installation Credit: USFWS	Photo of ditch after plug installation Credit: USFWS

Goals:

Protection of important wildlife habitat
Restoration of prior-converted cropland
Habitat enhancement including tree planting, dike repair, and water control structures to enable managers to seasonally control water levels for waterfowl, shorebirds, and wading birds

Benefits included:

Restoration of Atlantic white cedar habitat
Reduction of non-point source pollution
Preservation of wildlife corridor linking interior area of Virginia Beach to less developed areas
Improved habitat for waterfowl and other migratory bird species

Partners Included:

Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
City of Virginia Beach
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Ducks Unlimited
American Forests (USFWS)

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Sound Investment (Phase I & II)

This grant was completed in 2 phases. A total of 11,916 acres of habitat was restored/enhanced and 7,637 acres of habitat was protected.

Phase 1 improved habitat on 5 National Wildlife Refuges and 4 state properties resulting in restoration/enhancement of nearly 6,000 acres of wetlands and associated uplands. Projects were located in Virginia Brach and Chesapeake, Virginia and also in Currituck, Camben, and Dare County, North Carolina. The restored sites connect habitat for migratory birds as they migrate or over-winter along the coasts of Virginia and North Carolina. Water level-management capability allow biologist to maximize habitat quality and food availability during critical migrating and wintering periods. The following state or federally listed species are also found on the project sites; Bald eagle, Red-cockaded woodpecker, Peregrine falcon, Eastern Big-eared bat, and Canebrake rattlesnake.

Phase 2 includes an additional 3,458 acres of wetlands protected and 969 acres of wetland habitat enhancement. The projects are in the same geographic area as Phase 1 projects.

Goals:

Conserve migratory bird habitat

Benefits included:

Filter pollutants for the public water supply for the City of Chesapeake, Virginia
Increased opportunities for hunting, wildlife viewing, hiking and other outdoor activities
Improve/protect habitat for federally and state listed species, wetland dependent species, and migratory birds

Partners Included:

North Carolina Natural Heritage Trust Fund
North Carolina Clean Water Trust Fund
VIrginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Ducks Unlimited
American Forests
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, State Parks
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Natural Heritage
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
City of Chesapeake, VA
Cartwright Family
International Paper, Inc.

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Roanoke River Migratory Bird Initiative (Phase III)

This is the third phase of the Roanoke River Migratory Bird Initiative (RRMBI), an ambitious effort to establish and improve bird habitat in the Albemarle Sound drainages of eastern Virginia and North Carolina. Proposed projects in this phase will restore 4,483 acres of wetlands within the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildife Refuge and 5,097 acres of wetlands within the Dismal Swamp State Natural Area in North Carolina. Restoration activities include installation of sheetpile and water control structure in pre-existing man-made ditches to retain and filter precipitation and run-off and placement of culverts under existing roads to restore flow between isolated areas in the Swamp.

The Great Dismal Swamp harbors over 200 species of birds and about half of the species are designated priority species by Partners in Flight. Also, a 500 acre area within the project boundaries has been designated as a future reintroduction site for the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.

Map of habitat area restored by Roanoke River Migratory Bird Initiative. Click on map for a full size version (930KB)
Credit: USFWS

Goals:

Restore forested wetlands by removing impacts to hydrology
Restore or enhance habitat for migratory birds
Reduce habitat fragmentation
Restore large habitat patches

Benefits:

Increased foraging habitat for waterfowl, neotropical migrants, and shorebirds
Increased wildlife-based recreational opportunities including hunting, fishing, birding, and other wildlife observation
Improved water quality
Improved conditions for fish and other aquatic life
Flood water retention and filtration of runoff during major storm events
Improved habitat for rare or important plants and animals

Partners:

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
North Carolina Natural Heritage Trust Fund
North Carolina Clean Water Trust Fund
Ducks Unlimited
North Carolina Dismal Swamp State Natural Area

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Roanoke River Migratory Bird Initiative (Phase I & II)

This grant represents a 5 year plan to protect, restore, and enhance wildlife habitat within the forested wetlands draining into western Albemarle Sound (Roanoke and Chowan River basins). In both of these drainages, the land use was traditionally intensive agriculture and forestry, however, these areas are now increasingly targeted for residential and industrial development. The South Atlantic Migratory Bird Initiative (SAMBI) has identified this new development and altered flow regimes in the Roanoke River (caused by the operation of upstream dams) as major problems facing wildlife resources in the floodplain. Due to the importance of the floodplains and adjacent habitats, most of this region has been delineated as a focus area for waterfowl, neotropical land birds, and colonial nesting waterbirds by the SAMBI. The forested wetlands and adjacent rivers are also important habitat for other wildlife life and anadromous and resident fish.

This grant was completed in two phases. A total of 3,184 acres of habitat was restored/enhanced and 18,415 acres of habitat was protected. Phase I included projects on the Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Game Lands, and private lands in the Roanoke River Basin. Phase II included projects along the Nottoway River (a tributary to the Chowan River), within the Caledonia State Prison farm in North Carolina, and within the Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge.

Goals:

Permanent habitat protection
Address water flow problems within the Roanoke Basin
Restore wetlands by removing impacts to hydrology
Restore or enhance habitat for migratory birds

Benefits:

Increased foraging habitat for waterfowl, wading birds, and shorebirds
Reduced likelihood of growing season flooding
Improved habitat for neotropical migrant birds
Increased wildlife-based recreational opportunities including hunting, fishing, birding, and other wildlife observation
Improved water quality
Improved conditions for fish and other aquatic life

Partners:

Ducks Unlimited
The Nature Conservancy
North Carolina Department of Corrections
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund
North Carolina Natural Heritage Trust Fund
Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge

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Southern Tip Ecological Partnership (Phase I)

The purpose if this grant is to increase the availability, quality, and security of migratory bird habitat in coastal Virginia. This will be accomplished through the protection of 1,905 acres of conservation easements and restoration of 594 acres of wildlife habitat. All of the projects for this grant are located in Northampton County, Virginia.

Goals include:

Fill habitat gaps for wintering and breeding birds
Provide secure resting and feeding sites for migratory landbirds that funnel down the Delmarva Peninsula and stop on the Southern Tip of the Eastern Shore before crossing the Chesapeake Bay

Restoration and enhancement projects include the following:

Re-establish 225 acres of forested wetlands, upland buffers, and riparian corridor that previously were crop fields by ditch plug construction and tree/shrub planting
Enhance 2 existing 9 acre impoundments through the installation of a reliable water source
Restore 3 acres of shorebird habitat by excavation in open fields
Restore 14 acres of tidal wetlands through installation of culverts on farm roads to improve tidal flow
Restore 3 acres of tidal wetlands by removal of a dike and water control structure
Restore 194 acres of riparian and wetland habitat by planting trees and shrubs
Enhancement of 178 acres of tidal wetlands and inter-dunal swalw wetland through control of the invasive Phragmites by herbicide application

Benefits: