Chotank Creek Natural Area Preserve is a
Natural Area Preserve located in
King George County
King George County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 26,723. Its county seat is the town of King George.
The county's largest employer is the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center ...
,
Virginia. The preserve is situated east of
Caledon State Park, and borders the
Potomac River to which the preserve's namesake,
Chotank Creek
King George County is a county (United States), county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population sits at 26,723. Its county seat is the town of King George, Virginia, King George.
...
, is tributary. It is part of the larger Cedar Grove farm, which is protected by a
conservation easement.
The preserve was dedicated in 2001 through an agreement with the property's private landowner.
[
Chotank Creek Natural Area Preserve protects a variety of habitats and natural communities, including upland ]hardwood
Hardwood is wood from dicot trees. These are usually found in broad-leaved temperate and tropical forests. In temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen. Hardwood (which comes from ...
forests, marshlands, swamp
A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...
forests, and brackish scrub. Large gatherings of bald eagle
The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche as ...
s have been observed to congregate on the Potomac near the preserve, and several nests have been found on the property.[
The preserve is privately owned, and public access is not permitted.][ The site is managed with guidance from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.][
]
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
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation: Chotank Creek Natural Area Preserve
Virginia Natural Area Preserves
Protected areas of King George County, Virginia
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