WMAs in Virginia differ from other state-managed protected areas in that they are solely intended to preserve and improve wildlife habitat, with a particular focus on game animals, and to provide public space for hunting and fishing activities. Other protected areas in the state, such as state parks, state forests, and natural area preserves, may protect habitat but are also expressly managed to provide space for public recreation, research, timber production, and/or rare species conservation.[2]
Land acquisition and maintenance funds for WMAs are ultimately provided by hunters and anglers, through license fees and taxes levied on gear. These fees are collected on a national level through the Pittman–Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, and distributed proportionally to individual states. Some WMA lands were originally donated to the state for wildlife purposes, rather than purchased.[2]
Public use and accessedit
Although maintained for the primary benefit of hunters and anglers, other recreational pursuits are permitted within Virginia's WMAs. Hiking, primitive camping, horseback riding, and bird-watching is allowed on many WMA properties. Prohibited activities include swimming, mountain biking, organized sports, and ATV use. Boats, when permitted, must typically be non-motorized.[2]
To utilize WMA land for any purpose, visitors ages 17 or older must possess a valid hunting or fishing permit, or a current Virginia boat registration. In the absence of these documents, visitors must obtain a daily or annual WMA Access Permit that allows entry to WMA lands.[3]
List of Virginia Wildlife Management Areasedit
The following table lists Virginia's 46 WMAs as of 2023[update].[4]
Received from Dominion Energy via The Conservation Fund as mitigation for allowing the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline to cross the James River WMA[10]
^"Wildlife Management Areas". Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
^ abcGooch, Bob (2000). Enjoying Virginia Outdoors: A Guide to Wildlife Management Areas. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia. pp. 1–5. ISBN0813919614.
^"Access Permit". Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
^"Virginia WMA Locator" (PDF). Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
^ abcdUnless otherwise noted, information included in this column is sourced from individual pages listed at: "Wildlife Management Areas". Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
^Clarkson, Tee (November 17, 2016). "VDGIF purchases Parker's Branch". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
^"Lake Thompson". Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
^"Mattaponi Wildlife Management Area". For the Love of the Land - 100 Conservation Stories from Across Virginia(PDF). Piedmont Environmental Council. p. 21. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
^"Smith Mountain Cooperative WMA". Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
^Martz, Michael (17 October 2018). "Dominion pays for transfer to state of scenic property in Nelson to compensate for pipeline's impact on state land". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
^"Weston WMA". Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
External linksedit
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries: Wildlife Management Areas
March 14, 2024
virginia, wildlife, management, areas, wmas, state, managed, protected, areas, that, exist, primarily, benefit, wildlife, within, commonwealth, virginia, tracts, land, have, been, protected, wmas, covering, total, over, acres, they, managed, maintained, virgin. Virginia Wildlife Management Areas WMAs are state managed protected areas that exist primarily for the benefit of wildlife Within the Commonwealth of Virginia 46 tracts of land have been protected as WMAs covering a total of over 216 000 acres 338 sq mi 870 km2 They are managed and maintained by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources 1 Phelps Pond within the Chester F Phelps Wildlife Management Area in Fauquier and Culpeper counties Virginia Contents 1 Purpose 1 1 Public use and access 2 List of Virginia Wildlife Management Areas 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksPurpose edit nbsp Virginia Wildlife Management Area boundary signWMAs in Virginia differ from other state managed protected areas in that they are solely intended to preserve and improve wildlife habitat with a particular focus on game animals and to provide public space for hunting and fishing activities Other protected areas in the state such as state parks state forests and natural area preserves may protect habitat but are also expressly managed to provide space for public recreation research timber production and or rare species conservation 2 Land acquisition and maintenance funds for WMAs are ultimately provided by hunters and anglers through license fees and taxes levied on gear These fees are collected on a national level through the Pittman Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act and distributed proportionally to individual states Some WMA lands were originally donated to the state for wildlife purposes rather than purchased 2 Public use and access edit Although maintained for the primary benefit of hunters and anglers other recreational pursuits are permitted within Virginia s WMAs Hiking primitive camping horseback riding and bird watching is allowed on many WMA properties Prohibited activities include swimming mountain biking organized sports and ATV use Boats when permitted must typically be non motorized 2 To utilize WMA land for any purpose visitors ages 17 or older must possess a valid hunting or fishing permit or a current Virginia boat registration In the absence of these documents visitors must obtain a daily or annual WMA Access Permit that allows entry to WMA lands 3 List of Virginia Wildlife Management Areas editThe following table lists Virginia s 46 WMAs as of 2023 update 4 WMA name City county or counties 5 Area 5 Major waterbodies 5 Notes 5 Amelia Amelia 2 217 acres 8 97 km2 Appomattox RiverBig Survey Wythe 7 564 acres 30 61 km2 Big Woods Sussex 2 208 acres 8 94 km2 6 Contiguous with Big Woods State Forest Briery Creek Prince Edward 3 164 acres 12 80 km2 Briery Creek LakeChester F Phelps Fauquier Culpeper 4 540 acres 18 4 km2 Rappahannock RiverCavalier Chesapeake 4 485 acres 18 15 km2 Comprises two separate tracts one of which is contiguous with Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Chickahominy Charles City 5 218 acres 21 12 km2 Chickahominy RiverClinch Mountain Smyth Washington Russell Tazewell 25 477 acres 103 10 km2 Laurel Bed LakeCrooked Creek Carroll 1 882 acres 7 62 km2 Dick Cross Mecklenburg 1 400 acres 5 7 km2 Roanoke River Formerly known as the Elm Hill Wildlife Management Area Doe Creek Accomack 637 acres 2 58 km2 Fairystone Farms Patrick Henry 5 414 acres 21 91 km2 Philpott Reservoir Contiguous with Fairy Stone State Park Featherfin Prince Edward Appomattox Buckingham 3 084 acres 12 48 km2 Appomattox RiverFlippo Gentry Sussex 2 000 acres 8 1 km2 Located west of Big Woods WMAG Richard Thompson Fauquier 3 963 acres 16 04 km2 Lake Thompson 7 Game Farm Marsh New Kent 530 acres 2 1 km2 Chickahominy LakeGoshen and Little North Mountain Augusta Rockbridge 33 319 acres 134 84 km2 Maury River Contiguous with George Washington National Forest and Goshen Pass Natural Area Preserve Hardware River Fluvanna 1 175 acres 4 76 km2 James River Hardware RiverHavens Roanoke 9 023 acres 36 51 km2 The first VDGIF managed property initially purchased in 1930 Hidden Valley Washington 6 400 acres 26 km2 Hidden Valley LakeHighland Highland 14 283 acres 57 80 km2 Bullpasture RiverHog Island Surry Isle of Wight 3 908 acres 15 82 km2 James RiverHorsepen Lake Buckingham 2 910 acres 11 8 km2 Horsepen LakeJames River Nelson 1 213 acres 4 91 km2 James RiverLand s End King George 450 acres 1 8 km2 Rappahannock River Managed as a waterfowl refuge hunting not permitted Mattaponi Caroline 2 542 acres 10 29 km2 8 Mattaponi River South RiverMattaponi Bluffs Caroline 470 acres 1 9 km2 Mattaponi RiverMerrimac Farm Prince William 301 acres 1 22 km2 Adjacent to Marine Corps Base Quantico Mockhorn Island Northampton 7 642 acres 30 93 km2 Extent of the WMA s tidal marshland is greatly reduced at high tide Oakley Forest Spotsylvania 4 459 acres 18 04 km2 Pettigrew Caroline 934 acres 3 78 km2 Powhatan Powhatan 4 463 acres 18 06 km2 Princess Anne Virginia Beach 1 546 acres 6 26 km2 Atlantic Ocean Back Bay Ragged Island Isle of Wight 1 537 acres 6 22 km2 James RiverRapidan MadisonGreene 10 870 acres 44 0 km2 Rapidan River Conway River South River Contiguous with Shenandoah National Park Robert W Duncan Caroline 1 300 acres 5 3 km2 Mattaponi RiverSaxis Accomack 5 574 acres 22 56 km2 Atlantic Ocean Primarily protects tidal marshland on Virginia s eastern shore Short Hills Rockbridge Botetourt 4 232 acres 17 13 km2 Includes examples of karst topography Smith Mountain Cooperative Bedford Pittsylvania 4 996 acres 20 22 km2 Smith Mountain Lake Owned by Appalachian Power and managed by VDWR 9 Stewarts Creek Carroll 1 138 acres 4 61 km2 Turkeycock Franklin Henry 2 678 acres 10 84 km2 T M Gathright Bath 13 428 acres 54 34 km2 Lake MoomawTye River Nelson 1 044 acres 4 22 km2 Tye River Received from Dominion Energy via The Conservation Fund as mitigation for allowing the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline to cross the James River WMA 10 Ware Creek New Kent 2 600 acres 11 km2 York RiverWeston Fauquier 271 acres 1 10 km2 11 White Oak Mountain Pittsylvania 2 748 acres 11 12 km2 Banister RiverSee also editList of National Wildlife Refuges in VirginiaReferences edit Wildlife Management Areas Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Retrieved December 30 2016 a b c Gooch Bob 2000 Enjoying Virginia Outdoors A Guide to Wildlife Management Areas Charlottesville University Press of Virginia pp 1 5 ISBN 0813919614 Access Permit Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources 2023 Retrieved 31 January 2023 Virginia WMA Locator PDF Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources Retrieved 31 January 2023 a b c d Unless otherwise noted information included in this column is sourced from individual pages listed at Wildlife Management Areas Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Retrieved December 20 2016 Clarkson Tee November 17 2016 VDGIF purchases Parker s Branch Richmond Times Dispatch Retrieved January 18 2017 Lake Thompson Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources 2023 Retrieved 31 January 2023 Mattaponi Wildlife Management Area For the Love of the Land 100 Conservation Stories from Across Virginia PDF Piedmont Environmental Council p 21 Retrieved January 17 2017 Smith Mountain Cooperative WMA Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources 2023 Retrieved 31 January 2023 Martz Michael 17 October 2018 Dominion pays for transfer to state of scenic property in Nelson to compensate for pipeline s impact on state land Richmond Times Dispatch Retrieved 31 January 2023 Weston WMA Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources 2023 Retrieved 31 January 2023 External links editVirginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Wildlife Management Areas Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Virginia Wildlife Management Areas amp oldid 1177424176 List of Virginia Wildlife Management Areas, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
