Virginia Natural Heritage Program

Home
United States
Richmond, VA
Virginia Natural Heritage Program

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Virginia Natural Heritage Program, Public & Government Service, 600 E Main, 24th Floor, Richmond, VA.
(1)

DCR's Natural Heritage Program is a comprehensive effort to save VA's native plant and animal life and the ecosystems upon which they depend through inventory, conservation information provision, protection and stewardship.

09/03/2026

The Natural Heritage Longleaf Pine Restoration Specialist, Rebecca Wilson, presented an invited talk The Story of Longleaf Pine in Virginia at the 2026 Eastern Regional Summit hosted by the Intertribal Agriculture Council on August 18 to approximately 120 registered participants. The talk introduced the biology and ecology of longleaf pine, outlined its historical distribution in Virginia, and highlighted ongoing restoration work across state Natural Area Preserves. Participants received an overview of current management approaches and progress made to date in reestablishing this important Coastal Plain ecosystem.

09/02/2026

Virginia’s Natural Heritage Program’s Fast Fact: Sixty-Six Thousand Acres and Counting

On Halloween in 1990, Virginia’s Natural Area Preserve (NAP) System began with the establishment of North Landing River Natural Area Preserve, which protected 1,246 acres at the time. Since then, the system has grown tremendously! Today, the NAPs protect more than 66,900 acres across the commonwealth, including 21,740 acres of wetlands and 45,170 acres of land. The NAP system conserves and protects some of the most unique habitats, natural communities, and species found in Virginia.

09/01/2026

On Saturday, August 29, Northern Region Supervisor Michael Lott and Preserve Manager Joe Villari with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) led a special hike at Bull Run Mountains NAP as part of a series of events celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Virginia Natural Heritage Program. Twelve participants hiked to High Point, a section of the preserve that has been closed to the public since 2015. Along the trail and at High Point, participants discussed the challenges of managing mountain top sites and the reasons behind management and restoration decisions. Participants also visited several restoration plots and compared photos from 2015 with the improved conditions of the Pine – Oak / Heath Woodland today. Finally, the group enjoyed seeing many plants, mushrooms, and other species, including a juvenile hognose snake and the rare Alabama shield lichen (Canoparmelia alabamensis). Thanks to Deneith Reif, Conservation Specialist with VOF, for assisting with the event.

You can still join us on some more 40th Anniversary events, check them out and sign up here: www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/eventslist-40

08/31/2026

On August 19, Coastal Region Stewardship staff constructed and installed two new benches at Mutton Hunk Fen Natural Area Preserve. Accomack County and Northampton County have aging populations, with the median age in Accomack at 47.5 and in Northampton at 51.6 (10 years higher than the state average) and almost 30% of the population over 65 years of age. Additionally, 16.7% and 19.7% of the population respectively have a disability (ACS data 2023). Offering areas for visitors to stop and rest along the trails in our Natural Area Preserves serves all visitors well but is especially important in serving the local population of the two counties. The new benches at Mutton Hunk Fen offer views to the northeast and the northwest along Whites Creek. More identical benches will be installed at all Coastal Region preserves with public access facilities to better serve residents and visitors alike.
www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/natural-area-preserves/muttonhunk

08/27/2026

On August 20th, DCR-Natural Heritage Zoology Team completed the second year of a two-year project surveying the Cowpasture River for the federally endangered James Spinymussel (Parvaspina collina; G1 S1). Surveys this year recorded five species of freshwater mussels – James Spinymussel, Notched Rainbow (Venustaconcha constricta; G3 S3), Triangle Floater (Alasmidonta undulata; G4 S3S4), Creeper (Strophitus undulatus; G5 S3S4), and Northern Lance (Elliptio fisheriana complex).While surveying for mussels, one new population of the state rare Appalachian Tiger Beetle (Cicindela ancocisconensis; G3 S2) was found. These surveys were funded under a Section 6 grant from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.

08/26/2026

Virginia Natural Heritage Program’s Fast Fact: Irreplaceable Sites

The Natural Heritage Program has identified and mapped 155 “irreplaceable” sites meaning they support Virginia’s only documented, extant location of a natural heritage resource. If these locations are lost, that specific element of our native biodiversity cannot be replaced. To-date, the Program has been able to commit land conservation and stewardship resources to 29 of these irreplaceable sites ranging from the Chesapeake Bay to extreme southwestern Virginia by establishing permanently protected natural area preserves.

Grayson Glades top) and South Quay Sandhills (bottom) Natural Area Preserves are two of the Natural Area Preserves designed to protect sites with irreplaceable resources.

08/21/2026

On July 25, Northern Region Supervisor Michael Lott led a special paddle at Crow’s Nest NAP as part of a series of events celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Virginia Natural Heritage Program. Twelve participants paddled a section of Accokeek Creek that supports a large population of American lotus. It was peak season for lotus flowers and hundreds were in bloom. The freshwater tidal marshes along Accokeek Creek represent some of the best examples of diverse and intact wetland habitats in the Potomac River drainage. While paddling, the group stopped at a cliff face with an exposed section of the Aquia Formation and discussed how the underlying geology of the peninsula influences the distribution of plant communities at Crow’s Nest. Special thanks to Bill Micks with the Virginia Outdoor Center and the Friends of the Rappahannock for providing kayaks, staff, and instruction.

08/20/2026

On August 11, Chief of Biodiversity Information and Conservation Tools, Joe Weber, attended the Freshwater Mussel Science Symposium at the VCU Rice Rivers Center, a one‑day gathering of researchers, practitioners, and community partners focused on freshwater mussel conservation across Virginia and beyond. Invited for his lead role in DCR’s mussel richness and buffer mapping work, which is now expanding statewide with NFWF funding and match, Joe engaged with partners working in genetics, restoration, eDNA, habitat modeling, and regional planning. Several presentations referenced and even incorporated DCR’s species habitat modeling efforts, highlighting its growing value in statewide conservation planning. Joe also served on the panel following four technical talks on eDNA, metabarcoding, fish host mapping, and mussel habitat identification.

Graphic below: Stylized illustration of a freshwater mussel displaying its mantle‑flap lure. When a predatory fish strikes at the lure, the mussel releases its parasitic larvae, called glochidia, which attach to the fish and feed for several weeks while hitching a ride to new habitats the mussel could not reach on its own. Real mantle‑flap lures are so remarkably lifelike that they often require no stylization at all. Check out this video for one example. https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=best+freshwater+mussel+mantle+lures&mid=22C5B7AC5EC9381A6A7D22C5B7AC5EC9381A6A7D&churl=https%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2fchannel%2fUCCLF8URDxJYYUMAG8bBR90g&FORM=VIRE

08/19/2026

Virginia Natural Heritage Program’s Fast Fact: Zoological Discoveries

Since 1986, Natural Heritage staff have documented at least 350 animal species that were previously unknown from Virginia, including a bat, a frog, and various invertebrates. Among these, 19 species have been described as new to science by taxonomic experts based on the Virginia examples and 12 others were described from Virginia and one or more other states. Upwards of two dozen additional invertebrate species discovered by Natural Heritage staff may also prove to be new species pending further study. Nearly one third (110 species) of the new state records are now tracked by the program as globally or state rare species.

Lirceus littonensis (GNR/S1; photo by Jerry Lewis)
Bethany Beach Firefly, Photuris bethaniensis (G1S1, photo by Steve Roble)
Southern Chorus Frog, Pseudacris nigrita (G5/S3; photo by Steve Roble).

08/18/2026

August 7, 2026, marked the 40th anniversary of Virginia’s Natural Heritage program, and DCR celebrated the milestone with an event at Buffalo Mountain Natural Area Preserve. Notable attendees included Director Rovner, Natural Heritage Acting Director Anne Chazal, first DNH Director Michael Lipford, The Nature Conservancy State Director Bettina Ring, and Secretary Bulova, who gave remarks and read the Governor’s proclamation recognizing the anniversary. (see https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/proclamations/proclamation-list/40th-anniversary-of-virginias-natural-heritage-program.html) After remarks concluded, attendees participated in an optional hike to the mountain’s summit.

Address

600 E Main, 24th Floor
Richmond, VA
23219

Telephone

+18047867951

Website

http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Virginia Natural Heritage Program posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your organization to be the top-listed Government Service in Richmond?