The Nature Conservancy in Virginia Purchases Sunken Meadow, Permanently Protecting Wetlands and Forest Habitat

Richmond, VA – The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has purchased nearly 700 acres of forested land in Surry County from Davey Resources Group which will permanently protect these freshwater wetlands and the Sunken Meadow Creek system, ensuring the property will remain a natural resource for people and nature for generations to come.

Karen Johnson, TNC Virginia’s director of wetlands and streams, said, “This incredible property encompasses wetlands, stream systems and extensive forests, in close proximity to the James River.  The unique species found within the forests and the wetlands here are ecologically important and will now be protected as a significant conservation site within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.”

TNC has worked for three decades in Virginia protecting wetlands and streams. Through its conservation and restoration of more than 20,000 acres—nearly half of which is now public land— the wetland and stream program has prevented tons of sediment from polluting streams, reduced flooding risks for communities, and safeguarded havens for plants and wildlife.

Jason Bulluck, National Heritage Director for the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, shared, “The Sunken Meadow property harbors an example of Virginia’s Coastal Plain Calcareous Seepage Swamp natural community, which is imperiled at state and global levels. These communities are small and rare in southeast Virginia. This particular site has been able to survive with the help of an intact forested ecological core. The permanent protection of Sunken Meadow will help to ensure the conservation of the unique plant and animal species associated with the swamp community, as well as the broader natural, economic, and quality of life benefits of open space, recreation, thermal moderation, water quality and air quality.” 

Sunken Meadow is anticipated to be TNC’s 145^th mitigation project in the state, completed through a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality approved mitigation program. This model allows programs like TNC’s to pursue protection and restoration efforts on a large scale.

Sunken Meadow also has the potential to become an even healthier home for fish, waterfowl, songbirds, turtles, otters, and many other native species. The property intercepts 21 miles of stream habitat that were restricted in the early 1900s by a dam that separated the land and waters from the James River system. In the coming months, TNC will review opportunities for enhancing habitat diversity and reducing flooding risks through a community engagement process.

TNC will provide multiple engagement opportunities with the local community throughout the planning process, which will take place throughout 2025 and late-2026.

Karen Johnson said, “This acquisition marks the beginning of many months of assessments and discussions with the community around the best approach to potentially restore this land to support flooding resilience and improved water quality for the community, along with benefits to native wildlife. Sunken Meadow is a beautiful place, and we want to help it remain a valuable ecological resource far into the future.”