|  |  | |  | |  | Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
The Great Dismal Swamp NWR is located in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. It includes over 111,000-acres of forested wetlands, with Lake Drummond, a 3100-acre lake, at its heart.
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The Great Dismal Swamp has long been considered a place of natural beauty, mystery, a...
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Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge |  | Description: Chincoteague NWR, located primarily on the Virginia side of Assateague Island, consists of more than 14,000 acres of beach, dunes, marsh, and maritime forest. Chincoteague NWR, originally established in 1943 to provide habitat for migratory birds (with an emphasis on conserving greater snow geese), today provides habitat for waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, and song birds, as well as other species of wildlife and plants. | |
Wildlife to Watch: Refuge staff manage this barrier island habitat to allow many species of wildlife to coexist, each establishing their own place in the environment. In fact, more than 320 species of birds are known to occur on the refuge. The refuge has been designated a Globally Important Bird Area, is part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network and designated as one of the top ten birding Hotspots by the National Audubon Society.
Refuge management programs restore threatened and endangered species such as the Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel, the bald eagle and the piping plover. More than 2,600 acres of man-made marshes, or moist soil management units, are managed for wintering waterfowl and shorebirds during migration. Unique residents of the island, the famous Chincoteague ponies, are housed in two areas on the refuge through a special agreement with the ponies' owners, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. |
Special Tips: Fifteen miles of trails wind through the refuge's marshes and forests and include a path to the Assateague Lighthouse. The Wildlife Loop (3.2 miles) is open to vehicles after 3:00 p.m. Observation platforms are located on the Wildlife Loop, the Freshwater Marsh Trail, and the Woodland Trail. |
Other Activities: The new Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center offers educational exhibits, an auditorium and wet laboratory/classroom for visiting groups. |
Ownership: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Size: 14,000 acres
Closest Town: Chincoteague |
Facilities:
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