Online Services | Commonwealth Sites | Help | Governor

DCR - Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
Contact Us
Home
State Parks
Soil and Water
Conservation
Natural Heritage
Dam Safety and
Floodplain Management
Outdoor Recreation
Planning, Trails
and Grants
Chesapeake Bay
Local Assistance
Land Conservation
Boards and
Foundations
Special Events
Jobs
About Us
LAND CONSERVATION
Chesapeake Bay goal

In 2000, Virginia and several other states agreed to permanently protect from development 20 percent of the land that drains to the Chesapeake Bay. They committed to doing so by the year 2010. In Virginia, 13,831,890 acres drain to the bay, hence the commonwealth committed to protecting 2,766,378 acres.

Using the data available in 2000, DCR staff estimated 2,216,236 acres to already be under such protection. A quality control check conducted by DCR in November 2007 revealed, however, that that number was too great by nearly 121,000 acres. Almost all of the difference is attributable to our inclusion of 116,511 acres of George Washington National Forest land in West Virginia.

Adjusting for the difference, here's where it stands. Thus far 2,406,106 acres in Virginia's Chesapeake Bay watershed are permanently protected; 359,106 remain to be protected to reach to 2010 goal.

Please click on the links below for further details.