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Helena's Island Preserve

© Jack Mills
Hooded Merganser
© Douglas Rodda
Osprey

Why You Should Visit
Periodic flooding and a rich land-use history have combined to produce a diverse assemblage of plant communities on Helena's Island, including an outstanding, unique example of a mature black walnut forest stand. You also can find beach, marsh and field communities. On the south shore of the James River near the Island, you can see an Arbor vitae bluff that was nominated for National Natural Landmark status.

Location
The preserve is located in Nelson County, on an island in the James River

Hours
Year-round, dawn to dusk.

Size
57 acres

Conditions
To visit the island without a boat, you must wade a channel in low water.

How to Prepare for Your Visit
For information, contact the Virginia State Office: (434) 295-6106. Please see "Preserve Visitation Guidelines"

Directions
From U.S. Highway 29 at Lovingston:

  • Take VA Highway 56 east approximately 12 miles to Wingina on the James River.
  • Turn right on route 647, and travel 3.3 miles to the gate (a sign on the right reads "Old Norwood Plantation.")
  • Access to Helena's Island is through the gate on the left (which is locked), along the lane past the horse barn, and over the C & O railroad track to the bank of the James River.
  • The channel can be waded to reach the western end of the island during low water.

By boat or canoe (by far the best way to visit):

  • If you put in at the Tye River (look for the C & O railway trestle at Norwood), and float less than two miles, you'll arrive at the western end of the island (identified as Cunningham Island on the 7.5 USGS topographical quadrangle).
  • A few hours of easy canoeing will take you the length of the island and over the James to the public boat landing at Wingina.

What to See: Birds
Bird species far outnumber mammals and reptiles. Solitary sandpipers, ospreys, teal, mallards, and mergansers can be seen during the spring and fall migration. A number of species regularly visit or inhabit the island, including American redstart, northern parula, Carolina chickadee, green-backed heron and spotted sandpiper. 

What to See: Plants
In general, Helena's Island supports a rich community of plant species. An abundance of wildflowers includes sweet clover, wooly mullein, tiger lily, wood sorrel, loosestrife, water willow, evening primrose, butter and eggs and many others. The black walnut population (approximately 760 trees), in association with boxelder, ash, and basswood, has endured periodic flooding.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site  
Helena's Island was acquired by gift in 1980 from Dr. and Mrs. A. William Schulte. The Nature Conservancy renamed the island in honor of Mrs. Schulte, although the island appears in history records as "Cunningham" or "Hughes" Island. Helena's Island lies in an area rich in cultural history. There is extensive evidence of Indian settlements and of their agricultural use of the land adjacent to the James River. European settlers expanded the farming and grazing operations of the area and established several small villages, including Norwood and Warminster.

The mid-19th Century construction of a canal which paralleled the James River from Richmond to Buchanan is of particular historical interest. A brainchild of George Washington, the canal was intended to connect the Atlantic seaboard with the Ohio River System. Unfortunately, periodic flooding and financing problems plagued the construction of the canal, which was never extended beyond Buchanan. Much later, the C & O railroad bought the canal and towpath and built tracks where the old towpath existed. Today, remnants of the locks remain intact near the island.

Because of a shallow ford at the island, it was relatively easy to herd cattle across the river to the island. In fact, cattle grazing was the major use of the island until the 1930's. The area surrounding Helena's Island, used primarily for agriculture and forestry, is still largely undeveloped.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
Helena's Island is an important part of The Nature Conservancy's work to protect the James River. The Conservancy also is working with local landowners to acquire conservation easements along the river.