Virginia Coastal Program: 2002 Coastal Grant Project Description and Final Summary
Project Task:
FY2002 Task 12
Grantee:
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality - Virginia Coastal Program
Project Title:
Virginia Seaside Heritage Program
Project Description as Proposed:
The seaside of Virginia's Eastern Shore is a national, even global treasure. This barrier island/lagoon system is designated by the United Nations as a Man and the Biosphere Reserve and holds tremendous potential to demonstrate appropriate management of economic development within a rare and fragile ecosystem type. Although the threats to this area may be perceived as less than in the Chesapeake Bay, they are growing rapidly due to increased clam aquaculture, increasing incompatible residential development, increasing abundance of mammalian predators on shorebird eggs and chicks, incompatible dredge fishing practices, difficulties enforcing fishery regulations in this "coastal wilderness," failure of SAVs, oyster reefs and scallops to return on their own after the storm and disease problems of the 1930's and invasion of high marsh upland ecotone on the mainland and interior swales on the islands by non-native Phragmites.The focus of this 3 year project will be to develop a comprehensive seaside inventory and ultimately a framework for long term habitat restoration and use conflict resolution. This will address restoration of habitat for key aquatic resources and improved management of economic activities such as ecotourism, fishing and aquaculture. Restoration activities will include seagrass planting, oyster reef construction, Phragmites removal and mammalian predator controls. Management strategies will include improved enforcement and education efforts, water access plan and construction, identifying appropriate uses for particular areas and using a use conflict model in concert with a public process to come to an agreement on appropriate locations for various uses of this very dynamic, ever-changing seaside environment. This focal area will primarily involve DEQ Coastal Program, VMRC, DGIF, DCR, College of William & Mary (CCB and VIMS), Northampton and Accomack Counties, AN PDC and The Nature Conservancy. It builds upon many prior efforts including VMRC's 1998 "Conservation and Management Plan for the Ungranted State Lands in Accomack and Northampton CouniesMay 16, 2006e 2002 Accomack County Public Access Plan, the Northampton County SAMP, the Coastal Birding & Wildlife Trail, the Virginia Oyster Heritage Program and The Nature Conservancy's 2002 E. Shore Conservation Strategy .
Federal Funding:
$379,248
Project Contact:
Laura McKay, 804.698.4323
Project Status:
Grant Open
Final Product Received:
Project Summary Provided by Grantee:
Form C end
Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Laura McKay, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4323 or email: Laura.McKay@deq.virginia.gov
A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov
