The Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (CZM) is contracting with the Upper Mattaponi Indigenous Tribe to reclaim 866 acres of its ancestral lands along the Mattaponi River, a tributary to the York River in King William County. The funds to acquire the land are being awarded by NOAA through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Climate Ready Coasts initiative.
Virginia CZM is a network of agencies and coastal localities, with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) serving as the lead agency. Virginia CZM has worked closely with the tribe to secure the grant through a national competition.
“DEQ is proud to be able to work in partnership with the tribe to preserve these important lands,” said DEQ Director Mike Rolband, who serves as Vice Chair of the ECOS Water Committee.
The property has a diverse mix of habitat such as wetlands, streams, native grasslands, and hardwood forest, including more than 11,000 feet of waterfront. The tribe plans to create a baseline habitat monitoring plan once the land is purchased to better inform the restoration of the property.
