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Department of Conservation and Recreation
On Wednesday, January 19, 2022, the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust (NVCT) partnered with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and Stafford County for our Annual Great Blue Heron Nest Count on the Crow's Nest Natural Area Preserve Heron Rookery. We take the time to do this every year, never losing its significance or purpose as protecting wildlife habitat is a crucial part of our conservation strategy.
For us at NVCT, protecting Northern Virginia's land from the devastating effects caused by overdevelopment feels highly gratifying due to the many benefits land conservation provides to society and the environment. As conservationists, we understand that people surrounded by nature are happier people, and the animals who inhabit it depend on its biodiversity.
Unfortunately, many people are unaware that the parks, trails, scenic views, native plant and animal species they see in their neighborhoods remain there for their enjoyment due to organizations' and community stakeholders' proactive efforts.
Our conservation values guide and pinpoint our efforts, and protecting the biodiversity of our region is no less significant than the other portions of our strategic conservation plan. The Potomac Creek Heronry (PHC) at Crow's Nest Natural Area Preserve remains a model of those values.
The significance of this heronry can not be overstated, as the Great Blue Heron population within the Chesapeake Bay area depend on its large sycamore trees in this secluded area of foraging habitat for their survival.
Great Blue Heron wading in the waters of the Potomac River
We first acquired the PCH as a 70-acre property in 1997 and have since expanded the property by an additional 113 acres. Each winter, NVCT, Stafford County, and DCR traverse and survey the marshy property together. In the enormous sycamore trees, you'll sometimes find dozens of nests per tree. We have GPS located the trees and labeled them on maps to track which trees were nested each year.
We count the number of nests in hopes that the numbers have either upheld or increased because a decrease in nests may signify a reduction in the blue heron population or that their nest was somehow disrupted.
Continue reading this article on the NVCT blog.
From all of us at DCR: Thank you to the NVCT and Stafford County staff for joining DCR in our efforts to conserve land and protect wildlife at Crow's Nest Natural Area Preserve.
Do you also care for the birds in Virginia and want to help count them? Join citizen scientists around the world during the annual Great Backyard Bird Count on Feb. 18-21, 2022.
Click here for 2022 bird count events at Virginia State Parks. We hope to see you out there birding!
Categories
Birding | Conservation | Natural Heritage
