Southside Savanna Natural Area Preserve spans nearly 3,900 acres and is ecologically significant due to its extensive hardpan soils. These soils support a unique assemblage of prairie-affiliated plants, several of which serve as host species for rare insects and contribute to exceptional biodiversity. Multiple rare species and natural communities have been documented here, as well as on adjacent protected lands including Difficult Creek Natural Area Preserve and Falkland State Conservation Area. Together, these connected landscapes create one of the best opportunities in Virginia for large-scale restoration of native savannas and grasslands.
Management at Southside Savanna is centered on restoring the historic Piedmont savanna-woodland ecosystem—an open landscape with a rich herbaceous ground layer beneath a scattered canopy of shortleaf pine, oaks, and hickories. The preserve’s long-term goals emphasize ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation, and the recovery of rare species within a resilient, landscape-scale context.
VISITATION:
This preserve has no public access facilities at this time.
CONTACT:
Laura Hudson, Southern Piedmont Region Steward
Department of Conservation & Recreation
Division of Natural Heritage
Scottsburg, VA
804-972-4686
Department of Conservation and Recreation
