Celebration, Reflection, Elevation
50 Years at the Virginia Coast Reserve
A Look Back
A portion of Cedar Island as seen in a 2017 aerial photo. Superimposed on the image are lots that were platted in the 1960s, some of which are now more than a half mile offshore. In addition to the ocean shoreline migrating landward, the inlet has also migrated more than a mile north.
In January of 1955, an Eastern Shore newspaper reported that the United States Navy had a plan for Parramore Island, the largest of Virginia’s barrier islands. The Navy would use condemnation to take ownership of Parramore and turn the island into a bombing range. Through an intermediary, Parramore’s owners reached out to George Fell, The Nature Conservancy’s executive director at the time, suggesting that the island be protected as a wildlife refuge. The idea would take nearly 20 years to come to full fruition, yet it set in motion a dynamic that continues to this day: local people joining in partnership with The Nature Conservancy to defend their home and to protect the lands and waters on which their lives depend.
The Navy eventually dropped its plans, but as the 1960s wound down, a massive new development threat suddenly loomed. In late 1969, the New York-based Smith Island Development Corporation announced that it had purchased Smith, Myrtle and Ship Shoal islands and planned to build a $150 million resort and second-home community for at least 40,000 people. However, by the end of 1970, TNC would purchase these islands, along with Godwin Island and portions of Hog Island. With continued efforts through the 1970s, the Virginia Coast Reserve encompassed nearly all of 14 islands—then, as now, the longest stretch of wilderness along the nation’s entire Atlantic coastline.
Explore the story below to learn more about our land protection, migratory bird and marine habitat restoration work, education and community outreach programs, and our coastal resilience decision support tool.
Land Protection
Pre-1970
At the dawn of the 1970s, Wallops and Assateague islands were in federal ownership and the Commonwealth of Virginia owned Wreck Island and had established Saxis and Mockhorn Wildlife Management Areas. Tidal marshes had some form of protection as well.
1970s
By 1980, The Nature Conservancy had protected much of the remaining barrier islands, as well as the iconic Brownsville Preserve , while our partners continued their conservation efforts.
1980s
By 1990, another 3,500 acres of vital habitat had been conserved, including a major milestone in 1984 with the establishment of Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge .
1990s
The 1990s saw an explosion of conservation easements and additional land protection by The Nature Conservancy and our partners, including the establishment of several state natural area preserves and Kiptopeke State Park . By 2000, nearly 100,000 acres were protected.
2000s
The first decade of the new millennium saw an acceleration of land protection with a total of 125,000 acres protected by 2010, including numerous additional TNC conservation easements and easements held by the Virginia Eastern Shore Land Trust .
2010s
In 2020, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Virginia Coast Reserve, we begin the next 50 years with nearly 130,000 acres of conservation lands.
Marine Restoration and Migratory Bird Program
TNC staff, Chinese government officials, and Hong Kong oyster farmers learning about marine restoration work at VCR. © Bo Lusk/TNC
The work we do at the Virginia Coast Reserve serves as a global model for how conservation and natural solutions can help both human and natural communities adapt and become more resilient in the face of a changing climate. Our work touches down locally but has a multitude of connections to conservation and research happening across Virginia and around the world. Through formal or informal networks, our ground-breaking work contributes to conservation and scientific knowledge worldwide.
Oyster restoration has long been a priority for The Nature Conservancy. Oysters filter sediment and algae and remove nitrogen from the water, while their reefs provide nurseries and feeding grounds for rockfish, crabs and other marine life. For generations, oysters have played an important role in Virginia’s economy.
Oyster reef restoration also offers a nature-based solution for adapting to climate change. Reefs can take the punch out of storm waves and help slow the rate of erosion along marsh edges.
The Nature Conservancy worked with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission in 2015 to build two oyster reefs at Man and Boy Marsh. In 2016, we helped construct three additional reefs at two sites at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge that suffered serious damage from Hurricane Sandy. These projects were funded by both the U.S. Department of Interior and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through funds established to support Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts.
Community Outreach and Education
Our unique, hands-on learning activities connect students and their teachers with the natural environment. We offer SOL-based science-education experiences at Brownsville and on Parramore Island free of charge to every local student in fifth, seventh and 10th grades.
We are engaging community members of all ages and backgrounds and connecting people with the places we protect on the Eastern Shore. Our outreach initiatives include hosting special events such as guided tours of Brownsville Preserve, participating in community festivals and collecting oyster shells for reef restoration.
Mariah Tankard from Arcadia High School measures the salinity of Atlantic Ocean water using a portable refractometer. © Jennifer Davis / TNC
Coastal Resilience
We're working with partners to better understand how nature can make coastal communities more resilient in the face of a changing climate. Coastal Resilience is a decision support tool that incorporates the best available science and local data, empowering communities to visualize the risks imposed by sea-level rise and storm surge on the people, economy, and coastal habitats of the Eastern Shore and to identify nature-based solutions for enhancing resilience and reducing risks where possible. The maps below show a small sample of the data available on the Coastal Resilience tool , along with how wetland habitats are projected to change between now and 2100 around Brownsville Preserve under one sea-level rise scenario.
Sample data from the Future Habitat app in the Virginia Eastern Shore Coastal Resilience tool showing current condition (left) and year 2100 under a "high" sea-level rise scenario (right)
Focused on the Future
As it embarks on its next half-century, the Virginia Coast Reserve stands as one of the most important living laboratories in the world. Having piloted community-based conservation , contributed landmark migratory bird research and pioneered techniques for restoring critical habitats such as oyster reefs and seagrass meadows , the Virginia Coast Reserve continues to produce groundbreaking science and innovative conservation.
Today, the barrier and marsh islands of the Virginia Coast Reserve—along with thousands of additional coastal acres TNC subsequently protected—hold the key to restoring natural coastal systems and to protecting coastal communities around the world from the harshest impacts of climate change. TNC conservation scientists and partners are unlocking more new knowledge by the day, offering reasons for optimism as we face the environmental challenges of our time.
Stay in touch by subscribing to the Virginia Coast Reserve's quarterly e-newsletter . Get the latest news and updates about our conservation efforts, volunteer opportunities, and special events delivered straight to your inbox.
Photo courtesy of Gordon Campbell, At Altitude Gallery
