Burton's Foundation celebrates Earth Day

When most people think of wetlands, they think of Virginia's Eastern Shore. You may be surprised to learn that a major wetland restoration project will begin right here in south central Virginia at the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation.

This Earth Day event will be an opportunity for state and local officials, conservation agency representatives and volunteers to help improve habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife on Foundation land located along the scenic Staunton River.

The Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation recently enrolled this site in the Wetland Reserve Program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service to protect it for future generations.

The wetlands restoration site was cleared an estimated 150 to 200 years ago for its rich agriculture value and is approximately 93 acres in size. "America needs to restore and maintain its wetlands. Thanks to the NRCS, we are able to restore wetlands on the Foundation property through the Wetlands Reserve Program," stated Ward Burton.

Wetlands play an important role in nature. They serve as a nursery for a wide variety of juvenile and mature species. Wetlands also act as a natural water filtration system. Additionally, wetlands help to control flooding because they retain large amounts of water. The water stored by wetlands also serves as a source of replenishment for ground water supplies.