Virginia DWR awarded $8 million grant to restore critical marsh habitat on James River

ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is being awarded an $8 million grant to restore a quickly-eroding marsh ecosystem in Isle of Wight County which spans over 1,500 acres.

According to the department, the money is coming from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act and will fund the DWR Ragged Island Oyster Restoration and Shoreline Protection Project.

The project, which will be done in collaboration with conservation nonprofit Ducks Unlimited and Christopher Newport University in Newport News, will include the construction of 56 low breakwaters which will include oyster reef habitats and associated living shoreline plantings. This will create more than 2.5 acres of new marsh between the breakwaters and current marsh edge, according to the department.

The Ragged Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA) consists of 1,537 acres of brackish marsh and small pine islands along the James River in Isle of Wight County. In addition to the oysters and other wildlife, the area is home to native marsh mallow, smartweed, saltmarsh cordgrass, black needlerush and greenbrier, as well as loblolly pine and wax myrtle trees.

According to the department, research has shown that erosion has caused more than 280 feet of marshy shoreline to be lost since 1937.

“Ragged Island WMA offers an outstanding opportunity to restore habitat and improve recreation access in a highly developed and diverse community,” said DWR Executive Director Ryan Brown. “DWR is proud of our long-standing partnership with Ducks Unlimited and are excited about our new relationship with Christopher Newport University which we are certain will result in improved habitats and long-term community awareness about the opportunities that exist at Ragged Island WMA.”

The project is scheduled to begin in late fall and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

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