Protection of global biodiversity hotspot in Suffolk moves forward

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: April 28, 2026
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Ann Nallo, Director of Marketing and Communications, U.S. Southern Division - Central, 804-613-9921, [email protected]

Protection of global biodiversity hotspot in Suffolk moves forward
Virginia's plans include large-scale restoration of longleaf pine savannas

(Editors: Follow this link to download an image. Photo caption: Part of the newly acquired site one mile from South Quay Sandhills Natural Area Preserve.][alt:A stand of trees reflected in water below with light blue sky in the background.)

(Editors: Follow this link to download an image. Photo caption: Longleaf pine savannas such as South Quay Sandhills Natural Area Preserve are managed with prescribed fire.][alt:As white smoke rises behind longleaf pine trees, a line of orange flames encircles vegetation.)

RICHMOND, Va. - The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation has acquired 870 acres of forests and wetlands in the City of Suffolk from The Nature Conservancy as the first step of a multi-phase project to protect a global hotspot for biodiversity and restore native longleaf pine savannas.

With support from Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, DCR is working closely with TNC to bring one of the largest unprotected blocks of contiguous forest in the nationally significant Albemarle-Pamlico watershed region into Virginia's natural area preserve system.

The site, located about a mile east of South Quay Sandhills Natural Area Preserve, was acquired April 23.

DCR expects to add another 1,046 acres adjacent to the first site in a phase later this year.

Together, most of the 1,900 acres is considered to have "very high" ecological value. The combined acreage, when completed, would provide the first stepping stone in a conservation corridor identified in the Virginia Wildlife Corridor Action Plan between the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and the existing South Quay Sandhills Natural Area Preserve.

"We're excited to announce this significant step toward protecting these forests, freshwater wetlands and streams near South Quay Sandhills Natural Area Preserve," said DCR Director Nikki Rovner. "Not only does this project protect water quality in the Chowan River basin, but the opportunity to return longleaf pine savannas to this landscape at such a large scale will be significant for this important ecosystem and the animals and plants that depend on it - such as the red cockaded woodpecker."

"This acquisition means continued support for biodiversity, cultural heritage and climate resilience," said Bettina Ring, Virginia state director for TNC. "We're proud to work with DCR and our other partners to advance a shared vision for conservation across the longleaf range."

"The Nature Conservancy's partnership has been instrumental in advancing this effort," said Virginia Natural Heritage Program Chief of Natural Areas Stewardship and Acting Director Lesley Starke. "Their deep commitment to longleaf pine conservation - and their willingness to act in support of this shared goal at a critical moment, made this first phase possible. We are grateful for their partnership."

In the 1600s, more than 1 million acres of longleaf pine woodlands - which thrive in the presence of regular, low-intensity fire - dominated southeast Virginia as part of a much larger longleaf ecosystem across the southeastern United States. But because of demand for the trees' wood and tar for shipbuilding and fire exclusion those populations were nearly wiped out, leaving only a few hundred individual trees.

Conservation partners across southeastern Virginia have been working for decades to restore longleaf pine communities on thousands of acres across natural area preserves and other lands within the northern parts of the species' native range, benefitting numerous significantly rare and at-risk species at the same time. Through land protection, controlled burns, tree plantings, policy work and long-term partnerships, millions more longleaf pine now dot the landscape, strengthening wildlife corridors, increasing resilience to climate change and sustaining rare plants and animals.

Nearly all this work has been accomplished through the collaborative efforts of the Longleaf Cooperators of Virginia, which includes state and federal agencies, private landowners and non-profit organizations like TNC and The Longleaf Alliance. After collaborating informally beginning in 1995, the organization was formalized in 2012 and continues to prioritize stewardship resources and grant funding to re-establish and restore longleaf pine.

Funding sources for the current land acquisition project include a $5.6 million habitat protection and restoration grant awarded in 2023 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.

"DCR's acquisition of this property is so important for longleaf pine, for wildlife and for the communities in the region," said Ryan Green, Program Manager of Virginia CZM. "But we're truly excited by the partnership that has supported this project, and we look forward to the growth to come there, too. This project exemplifies what both Virginia CZM, and our long-time federal partner NOAA, envisioned this historic federal investment in coastal resources could mean for the Commonwealth."

The project also received substantial acquisition funding from the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation.

In a new initiative by Natural Heritage, a tribal liaison has been hired to engage with tribal nations who hold ancestral ties to the region, including the Indigenous Conservation Council and the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuary Partnership's Tribal Coastal Resilience Connections Team. These efforts will explore the historical and contemporary relationships with and stewardship priorities for the property.

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The Department of Conservation and Recreation is the state's lead natural resource conservation agency. DCR protects what Virginians care about - natural habitat, parks, clean water, dams, open space and access to the outdoors. For more information, please visit www.dcr.virginia.gov.

The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. TNC is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 83 countries and territories (39 by direct conservation impact and 44 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. For more information on our work in Virginia, visit nature.org/virginia.

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