Blackwater Ecological Preserve
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Welcome to the website of the Blackwater Ecologic (or Ecological) Preserve, a three hundred plus acre site forty miles from the Old Dominion University Campus in Isle of Wight County which includes some of the rarest habitat types in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The preserve is part of the Zuni Pine Barrens Natural Area which has recently expanded to almost 1000 acres. At this website you will find a list of all the plants that occur at the site arranged alphabetically by scientific name; an overview of the geology, botanical history, and history of longleaf pine in Virginia; an essay on the preserve in the winter; and portions of the management plan of the Zuni Pine Barrens which includes the Blackwater Preserve. During the past two years, we have had some very successful prescribed burns. Check out the images of these.
Lytton John Musselman, preserve manager
26 January 2008
lmusselm@odu.edu |
Directions:
The address of the main entrance to the Preserve is at 24326 Thomas Woods Trail, Zuni, Virginia 23898. Use this address for MapQuest or similar programs.
From Norfolk, take US 460 west across the Dismal Swamp; after crossing the Nansemond River take the second exit right (north) this is still 460. Go north 8.9 miles to US 258 (there is a Dairy Queen at this corner); go 0.6 miles south to SR 603. Stay on winding 603 for 6.3 miles to the junction of SR 614. The preserve is 0.6 miles on the left; look for the "ODU blue" steel posts. If you choose to go to the preserve from the village of Zuni, turn west on SR 644 for 0.1 miles (under the railway) to SR 614. Turn left (south); the preserve is 4.2 miles on the right (2.0 miles from the Zuni Presbyterian training center).
Seedlings: I have observed more longleaf pine seedlings this winter than any time since 2004.
Information on the Preserve, Articles, and Essays:
