Presquile National Wildlife Refuge Landowner Outreach- Envision the James River

Project Description

In outreach efforts, the Envision the James team found that 90% of respondents agreed that more wildlife habitat conservation is needed in the James River watershed. Respondents believed that additional wildlife enhancement efforts should occur on both publicly owned lands and private lands in consultation with landowners. In response to this, the Chesapeake Conservancy completed a pilot project that involved identifying public and privately-owned lands that contain habitat suitable for bird species of conservation concern that are managed for at Presquile NWR.

The intent of the pilot was to see if the refuges and the areas around them could together serve as a larger, long-term anchor for important bird species and provide adequate areas of habitat to sustain them into the future. Implicit in this approach is the need to engage willing, private landowners to manage and conserve these habitats in specific ways that meet the particular needs of each species.

Now, the Conservancy is working with partners to create decision tools to help landowners create or improve habitat for the wood thrush, American woodcock, barn owl, northern bobwhite, and prothonotary warbler. Check back as the tools become available.