Wildlife refuge expands in Essex REFUGE READY FOR VISITORS DIVERSITY ABOUNDS

May 17, 2008 12:15 am

A whitetail buck is highlighted by sunlight peeking over the horizon.

By RUSTY DENNEN

The Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge still has a ways to go to reach its goal of protecting 20,000 acres.

But it has steadily grown, with the latest addition of 90 acres announced this week.

The Rose family sold a permanent conservation easement on the land in Essex County to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which operates the refuge. The agency works closely with the Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy and other conservation groups to acquire land or protective easements.

The 90-acre transaction concludes efforts to protect a total of 162 acres in the Laneview area along the river.

The land contains tidal marsh, freshwater wetlands, upland forest and open fields. The easement was purchased with money from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Virginia Aquatic Restoration Trust Fund.

"The inclusion of these 90 acres [in the refuge] will further protect Virginia's abundant and diverse wildlife," Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., said in a press release.

"We are grateful to the Rose family for making the important decision to conserve this property for present and future generations," said refuge manager Joe McCauley.

The steep, wooded ravines and wetlands on the property provide outstanding habitat for several species of migratory birds, he said.

This is the second addi-tion to the refuge in two months.

In April, the wildlife service bought 175 acres on Cat Point Creek in Richmond County from The Conservation Fund. Revenue from federal duck-stamp sales supported that purchase.

McCauley said that negotiations are under way on other tracts.

Founded in 1996, the refuge now encompasses more than 8,000 acres. Twenty-three parcels are spread across five counties--Caroline, Essex, Richmond, Westmoreland and King George--along the tidal Rappahannock.

The first tract, 1,100 acres on Cat Point Creek, was purchased in May 1996.

The refuge is the newest of four that make up the Eastern Virginia Rivers National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

The goal for the Rappahannock site is to protect 20,000 acres of wetlands and uplands along the river and its major tributaries.

Rusty Dennen: 540/374-5431
Email: rdennen@freelancestar.com

Thousands of waterfowl, including canvasback and scaup, winter on the Rappahannock River adjacent to the Laneview property.

The upland areas provide habitat for migratory birds of concern including the Louisiana water thrush, yellow-billed cuckoo and wood thrush. Ospreys nest along the shore, and wild turkeys in the fields.

--U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

The Wilna tract within the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge is now open daily from sunup to sundown. There's fishing in a 35-acre pond (bank fishing, and canoes and kayaks are permitted), and areas for photography and wildlife observation.

For more information and directions, see the refuge Web site, fws.gov/northeast/rappahannock.