The Nature Conservancy has placed 13,350 acres of land in Dragon Run Swamp on the Middle Peninsula in a conservation easement, the largest in Virginia history.
Dragon Run is considered one of the most ecologically important areas in the Chesapeake Bay region. It mostly is in Middlesex County and runs into the Piankatank River.
Linda Crowe, director of land protection for the Nature Conservancy, said the acreage is the same size as Manhattan Island.
"This is quite special," she said.
Gov. Bob McDonnell hailed the easement, which protects the land from development. He said he has pledged to conserve 400,000 acres during his term -- the same amount that was conserved under former Gov. Timothy M. Kaine.
"It is critical that we preserve and protect this natural beauty for Virginians to enjoy for generations to come," McDonnell said. "There is a bipartisan commitment to this common goal."
McDonnell commended the Nature Conservancy and its partners for their success in conserving the acreage in Dragon Run Swamp, which he termed "a vital and pristine area that plays a crucial role in the health of the Chesapeake Bay."
The conservancy purchased the land from the Hancock Timber Resource Group, which had obtained it from the Chesapeake Corp. It then sold the property to the Forestland Group and retained a permanent conservation easement on the property.
The acquisition adds to protected lands totaling 20,000 acres in the Dragon Run area.
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