The Blackwater Ecological Preserve is a
Natural Area Preserve located in the area of
Zuni, Virginia
Zuni () is an unincorporated community in Isle of Wight County in the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia in the United States.
Zuni is home to a general store, a gas station, a small engine repair shop and two churches and is served by ...
and owned by
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University (Old Dominion or ODU) is a public research university in Norfolk, Virginia. It was established in 1930 as the Norfolk Division of the College of William & Mary and is now one of the largest universities in Virginia with ...
. It is home to
flatwoods
Flatwoods, pineywoods, pine savannas and longleaf pine-wiregrass ecosystem are terms that refer to an ecological community in the southeastern coastal plain of North America. Flatwoods are an ecosystem maintained by wildfire or prescribed fire an ...
of
longleaf pine
The longleaf pine (''Pinus palustris'') is a pine species native to the Southeastern United States, found along the coastal plain from East Texas to southern Virginia, extending into northern and central Florida. In this area it is also known as ...
and
turkey oak Turkey oak is a common name for several species of oaks and may refer to:
*''Quercus cerris'', native to southeastern Europe and Asia Minor
*''Quercus laevis
''Quercus laevis'', the turkey oak, is a member of the red oak group of oaks. It is nat ...
and
savanna
A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...
s of longleaf pine, two of the rarest plant communities in Virginia. The longleaf pine savanna is the northernmost natural occurrence of such a plant community in the United States.
Research on longleaf pine survival rates are currently being performed by Old Dominion University.
The preserve is open to public visitation only through prior arrangement with Old Dominion University.
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See also
* List of Virginia Natural Area Preserves
The Virginia Natural Area Preserve System is a system of protected areas in the state of Virginia. It is managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.
, there are sixty-six (66) dedicated preserves in Virginia, containing exa ...
References
External links
Old Dominion University: Blackwater Ecological PreserveVirginia Department of Conservation and Recreation: Blackwater Ecological Preserve
Virginia Natural Area Preserves
Protected areas of Isle of Wight County, Virginia
Old Dominion University
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