Friendsof Dragon Run and Chesapeake Conservancy Partner in One of the Finest  Tidal and Non-tidal Blackwater Systems on the East Coast

MiddlesexCounty, VA – Today, Friends of Dragon Run and ChesapeakeConservancy announced the permanent conservation of more than 650 acres of essential wildlife habitat along Dragon Run, a blackwater stream with associated swamps that flows into the Piankatank River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. This achievement marks a major milestone in decades of collaborative, landscape-scale conservation in one of the Chesapeake Bay watershed’s most ecologically intact landscapes.

‍

The newly conserved land protects more than 2.5 miles of Dragon Run frontage and approximately 250 acres of bald cypress-tupelo swamp, closing a critical gap in and extending a wildlife corridor within the 90,000-acre Dragon Run watershed. The watershed stretches 40 miles across Virginia’s Middle Peninsula and provides an ecological link, particularly for migratory species, to the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge and the James River National Wildlife Refuge. It is widely regarded as one of the finest remaining examples of non-tidaland tidal blackwater systems on the East Coast.

‍

“We are incredibly grateful to our many donors, Chesapeake Conservancy, and our federal funding partner who made this remarkable achievement possible,” said Jeff Wright, immediate past president of Friends of Dragon Run.

‍

“This project builds on four decades of land conservation in Dragon Run initiated by the Friends of Dragon Run in the mid-1980s and strengthened by partners over the years, including The Nature Conservancy, the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission, the Virginia Department of Forestry, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. These collective efforts have ensured that more than 25,000 acres, over 25 percent of the Dragon Run watershed, are now protected for future generations,” continued Wright.

‍

“Dragon Run is one of the Chesapeake Bay’s truly special places,” said Susan Shingledecker,CEO of Chesapeake Conservancy. “This partnership demonstrates what’s possible when organizations work together. By leveraging new funding and innovative tools, we are building on decades of conservation efforts to protect this remarkable landscape, rich in Indigenous history, while safeguarding critical wildlife habitat and expanding outdoor opportunities for the community.”

‍

The Dragon Run watershed supports more than 2,200 species, including over 115 bird species and 55 fish species, and contains five distinct natural communities. Its forests and wetlands are dominated by bald cypress, tupelo and mixed bottomland hardwoods that provide critical wildlife habitat, sequester carbon and help maintain exceptional water quality. Dragon Run is also within the summer range of the federally endangered northern long-eared bat and supports species such as alewife, American shad, spotted turtle, wood thrush, prothonotary warbler, monarch butterfly and American bumblebee.

‍

Funding for the project included $500,000 in support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) program and the generous support of private donors.

‍

The property will be part of the Friends of Dragon Run’s conservation land holdings and will be managed to preserve the natural, cultural and scenic values found on the property, as well as for outdoor experiences. More information about opportunities to experience Dragon Run, including place-based experiences such as guided hikes, kayak trips, birding, citizen science and environmental education, can be found at www.dragonrun.org

‍

Feature photo is a trail cam image from Friends of Dragon Run taken nearby the conserved property.