The Nature Conservancy Virginia

The Nature Conservancy Virginia Across the commonwealth, The Nature Conservancy is working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. Protecting nature. Preserving life.

www.nature.org/virginia

Nature isn’t just scenery — it’s infrastructure. It protects communities, strengthens local economies, and quietly does ...
06/22/2026

Nature isn’t just scenery — it’s infrastructure. It protects communities, strengthens local economies, and quietly does the work we all depend on.
The Cumberland Forest Project is a powerful example. By protecting and managing more than 253,000 acres across VA, KY, and TN, this impact‑investment project supports outdoor recreation, boosts local economies, and delivers real returns for people and nature. In Virginia alone, nature‑based industries contribute $13.4 billion in value added, $6.6 billion in wages, and 122,405 jobs to our economy.
And forests don’t just fuel economies — they protect communities. Healthy, restored forests hold more water, reduce flood risk, and help buffer the impacts of extreme weather. When we invest in nature, we’re investing in safer, more resilient places to live.

📸 Byron Jorjorian

06/17/2026

Bonito fish are found offshore from South Carolina all the way to Massachusettes—and for the first time every, we can, we can follow their journey!🐟 TNC is working with partners to tag Atlantic bonito off the coast of North Carolina. These tags, or acoustic transmitters, are surgically placed just under the skin, and they’re detected by receivers anchored to the ocean floor from South Carolina to Massachusetts. This coast‑wide setup is part of a cooperative acoustic telemetry network—basically an underwater tracking system!
Any researcher using this type of tag on any species can share data through the network. So when a bonito tagged in North Carolina swims past a receiver off Virginia, Connecticut, or Massachusetts, we get a ping.📍 Connect those detections and we can map their entire journey—something that’s never been done before for this species.🗺️

Learn more about our work with anglers: https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/provide-food-and-water-sustainably/food-and-water-stories/restoring-sustainable-fisheries/?vu=fishing&en_txn1=s_fbo.reg_sou.x.x

This spring, our fire team completed the biggest burn of the year!😀🔥8,500‑acres burned on the Big Wilson tract of Warm S...
06/10/2026

This spring, our fire team completed the biggest burn of the year!😀🔥8,500‑acres burned on the Big Wilson tract of Warm Springs Mountain in the Allegheny Highlands — part of a larger 21,430‑acre burn plan developed with partners to restore fire‑adapted forests.
Over eight days, the burn met key ecological and operational objectives, created hands‑on training opportunities for a wide range of RX fire staff, and supported goals like understory vegetation management and improved wildlife habitat. More than 30 TNC staff contributed, including the Allegheny Highlands team and the VA statewide burn crew.
Good fire, strong partnerships, and more data to guide the work ahead.🔥

As the weather warms, millions of birds migrate at night to avoid the heat and certain predators — and these birds need ...
06/08/2026

As the weather warms, millions of birds migrate at night to avoid the heat and certain predators — and these birds need our help. Artificial lights can disorient migrating birds and disrupt nighttime pollinators like moths and fireflies.
Flipping the switch is one of the easiest ways to make a difference. Turn off any outdoor lights at night, close your blinds, and choose motion‑activated lighting when possible.
Small actions protect big journeys. ✨
Stay up to date on all our conservation work. Subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter: https://preserve.nature.org/page/82226/data/1?en_txn1=s_p.ch_va.eg.x.Virginia.NN

📸 Paolo Taranto/TNC Photo Contest 2022

Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 13 for our annual OktoberForest Fest at Fine Creek Brewing Company. The Nature...
06/04/2026

Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 13 for our annual OktoberForest Fest at Fine Creek Brewing Company.
The Nature Conservancy has teamed up with six local breweries to bring nature to your glass—and to give people a chance to experience what Virginia tastes like.
This year, we’ll be adding two new unique flavors for a total of six beers made from foraged ingredients from our TNC landscapes. We’ll share more details soon, but in the meantime, mark your calendars and learn more about this one‑of‑a‑kind partnership.







Design credit: Jessica Battista

06/02/2026

Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda) are small, fast‑swimming members of the tuna family that live in the Atlantic Ocean. 😀 They play an important role in the marine food web—they’re critical prey for larger fish and, well…for us! Bonito have been gaining popularity among anglers, and that rising interest is raising some concerns. Atlantic bonito are an unmanaged species, meaning there are currently no limits on recreational or commercial harvest. Without safeguards, they’re more vulnerable to overfishing, which can ripple through the entire ocean food system.🎣
So…what’s the plan? Our TNC Virginia team and partners are currently tagging and releasing Atlantic bonito in North Carolina to learn more about their range, migration patterns, and behavior. This kind of tagging has never been done before for this species. We are also working in partnership with anglers to understand their needs and safeguard bonito for the future. The data we collect will help us better understand these fish and inform future regulations that support both people and a healthy, sustainable ocean ecosystem.

Over 50 volunteers have joined our eelgrass restoration efforts so far this season! As you can see from the photos, they...
05/28/2026

Over 50 volunteers have joined our eelgrass restoration efforts so far this season! As you can see from the photos, they’re having a blast while learning about eelgrass and the incredible aquatic life it supports.😀
We’re so grateful for their commitment to restoring our beautiful Eastern Shore. Right now, we have 41 cans of eelgrass seeds in the holding tanks — our goal is 72, so there’s still time to be part of this work!
Tap the link to save your spot: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1983046986920?aff=oddtdtcreator

Atlantic menhaden are ocean powerhouses—filtering water, feeding whales and striped bass, and moving energy up and down ...
05/26/2026

Atlantic menhaden are ocean powerhouses—filtering water, feeding whales and striped bass, and moving energy up and down the coast in massive migrating schools. That’s why protecting them protects everything!😀
Working along with partners, we’re advancing menhaden fishing reforms that keep enough menhaden in the right places and at the right times to keep menhaden fisheries along the Atlantic coast profitable while leaving enough in the water to feed the predators that depend on them.

Healthy menhaden = a healthier Atlantic.🐟
Read how this work is shaping the future of our ocean:https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/virginia/stories-in-virginia/mid-atlantic-seascape/?en_txn1=s_fbo.reg_sou.x.x

📸 Carl Lobue

Do you live in Surry County? We want to hear your thoughts! Join us for an upcoming field day to share how you experienc...
05/24/2026

Do you live in Surry County? We want to hear your thoughts! Join us for an upcoming field day to share how you experience Sunken Meadow and explore ways we can make it an even stronger haven for both people and wildlife. Your voice can help shape its future.
📆 Saturday, May 30, 2026
⏰ 10 a.m.–12 p.m.
📍 Chippokes State Park (guest park pass included)

Please register by Wednesday, May 27: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=wW2-eY7Xu0uyK9mUwKQXpyJ9CJ0m8O1KjMOKDQWujOlUNVcxWlNUQ0JLWDEwOU9QNDFUUkRFOFdQUC4u&route=shorturl

📸 Marvel

Address

652 Peter Jefferson Parkway Suite 190
Charlottesville, VA
22911

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Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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+14342956106

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