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A great blue heron flies across Potomac Creek by the shore of Crow's Nest, a natural area preserve in Stafford.
Joseph Maroon (left), director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, jokes with John Mitchell from the Trust for Crow's Nest, at the Belle Plains Boat Club. |
By KELLY HANNON
Peering into binoculars, biologist Chris Ludwig points out the treasures of Crow's Nest Natural Area Preserve to fellow passengers on a pontoon boat, drifting offshore.
During a 30-minute boat ride down Potomac Creek yesterday, passengers spot a blue heron with Ludwig's help. They hear about the dense tree canopy of 80- to 100-year-old trees, and marshes filled with water lilies and water lotus. They learn that 60 neotropical migratory birds spend April through September in the nature preserve, where they can feast on insects undisturbed by most predators.
But perhaps best of all, when complete, the Crow's Nest preserve in eastern Stafford County will let the public explore a quiet, undisturbed space unlike anything else in Northern Virginia, Ludwig predicted.
"In my mind, they won't hear anything but non-human sounds," said Ludwig, chief biologist for the state-funded Virginia Heritage Program. "You will not hear road noise or dogs barking."
A four-decade quest to preserve 2,870 acres of mature forest and wetlands at Crow's Nest came to a successful close in 2008 and 2009. County, state and federal funding allowed Stafford and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation to purchase the land in two phases: 1,770 acres in April 2008 for $19 million, and 1,100 acres in July for $14.2 million. The Department of Conservation and Recreation will manage the property as a state preserve.
Acquiring Crow's Nest achieved several goals. One was to preserve it from future development. Another was to protect animal, aquatic and plant life at the site, along with opening a pristine natural space to public use.
Stafford supervisor Paul Milde represents the Aquia district where Crow's Nest is located. Milde persuaded property owners to lower their price for a portion of the land making up the preserve, clearing the way for it to be purchased by the county and state.
Milde said the preserve is "noteworthy for what's not there--no houses, no cars, no pavement."
The public will have a chance to visit the preserve briefly this fall during a guided open house, but there is no funding yet to keep it open permanently.
Operating the preserve with staff, restrooms, parking, trails and interpretive signs will require $350,000 a year, plus another $1.8 million in infrastructure costs to make one-time improvements to the site, said Joseph Maroon, director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.
"It would be classic recreation," Maroon said. "Not camping or campgrounds, but there would be day use opportunities, and recreation that people really look for in a natural area kind of experience."
There is an initial $300,000 to start work on a small number of trails, signs, and parking.
No dates or times have been announced yet for the fall open houses.
A celebration at Belle Plains Boat Club yesterday afternoon in Stafford heralded the achievement of acquiring the Crow's Nest preserve, and looked forward to what the public will enjoy when it does have access.
"It's nothing less than miraculous, in my opinion," said Sen. Richard Stuart, R-Stafford. "Three thousand acres; 750 acres of that are wetlands. To those of us who care about their natural beauty and water, it's so, so incredibly important."
Stuart said the acquisition was a "true bipartisan" achievement.
George Schwartz, chairman of the Stafford Board of Supervisors, thanked the board, county staff, and community members who promoted the preservation of Crow's Nest since 1971.
"When you look around it's easy to see why we fought so hard for this land," Schwartz said.
He rattled off a list of the preserve's attributes, including connections to Native American, Colonial and Civil War history.
"Fortunately, our eyes will not be the last to set sight on this unique and peaceful sanctuary," Schwartz said. "Thanks to our preservation efforts, our children, our grandchildren, friends and visitors will all have a chance to walk among the hardwoods, witness the flight of a blue heron, or listen to the music of a songbird."
Kelly Hannon: 540/374-5436
Email: khannon@freelancestar.com
