Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

is located in the

independent city An independent city or independent town is a city or town that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity (such as a province). Historical precursors In the Holy Roman Empire, and to a degree in its successor states ...

Virginia Beach Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous ci ...

. Established in 1938 in an isolated portion of the former

Princess Anne County County of Princess Anne is a former county in the British Colony of Virginia and the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States, first incorporated in 1691. The county was merged into the city of Virginia Beach on January 1, 1963, ceasing to ...

, it is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The administrative office is located on Sandbridge Road at

Sigma Sigma (; uppercase Σ, lowercase σ, lowercase in word-final position ς; grc-gre, σίγμα) is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 200. In general mathematics, uppercase Σ is used a ...

between Lago Mar and

Sandbridge Beach Sandbridge, in the U.S. state of Virginia, is a coastal community of Virginia Beach, located along the coastline on the Currituck Banks Peninsula at the northern end of the Outer Banks. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east, the Back Bay of the ...

. The Visitor Contact Center is accessed via Sandpiper Road from the Sandbridge area of Virginia Beach, which is the southernmost area of development on the Atlantic Coast of Virginia. Most of the fresh water refuge is on the Currituck Banks Peninsula, which borders the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

on the east and the Back Bay of the

Currituck Sound Currituck Sound ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

on the west. As part of Virginia's

Outer Banks The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separating ...

, the refuge's

barrier island Barrier islands are coastal landforms and a type of dune system that are exceptionally flat or lumpy areas of sand that form by wave and tidal action parallel to the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a ...

s feature large

sand dune A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, f ...

s, maritime forests, fresh water

marsh A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found ...

es, ponds, ocean beach, and large impoundments for wintering wildfowl. The majority of refuge marshlands are on islands contained within the waters of Back Bay. It is considered by conservationists to be an important link along the Atlantic Flyway for migratory birds such as

snow geese The snow goose (''Anser caerulescens'') is a species of goose native to North America. Both white and dark morphs exist, the latter often known as blue goose. Its name derives from the typically white plumage. The species was previously placed ...

. The refuge adjoins Virginia's False Cape State Park. Beyond that, the northern edge of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...

's Outer Banks lies immediately to the south. A tram runs through the refuge, providing the only public access to False Cape State Park other than by foot, bicycle or boat. A bicycle/pedestrian trail is planned through the refuge between Sandbridge and Lago Mar.

Gallery

File:Back Bay NWR Visitor Contact Station.jpg, Back Bay NWR Visitor Contact Station File:Back Bay NWR Headquarters.jpg, Back Bay NWR headquarters on Sandbridge Road near Sigma, VA File:BBNWR overview map.jpg, Back Bay NWR Map File:2j14xvb.jpg, Perhaps the most northerly native stand of '' Yucca aloifolia'', located in Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

References

External links

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Refuge brochure (archived)

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Refuge brochure

Back Bay Restoration Foundation homepage
{{authority control National Wildlife Refuges in Virginia Wetlands of Virginia Protected areas of Virginia Beach, Virginia Protected areas established in 1938 1938 establishments in Virginia Landforms of Virginia Beach, Virginia