1 Inside Buffalo Creek Study of the Ecological and Historic Context of Buffalo Creek Watershed
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Inside Buffalo Creek
Study of the Ecological and Historic Context of Buffalo Creek Watershed
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Introduction:RockbridgeCountyandBuffaloCreek…...…………….………………….............2
OngoingandFutureInitiatives…………………………………………………………………................3
BuffaloCreekWildlifeCorridor:What’sNext?............................................................................4
HistoricalContextofRockbridgeCountry…………………………….……….….………….............6
HistoryofBuffaloCreek……………………………………………………………………………………....9
RecreationalActivitiesinBuffaloCreek…………………….………………………………..….......10
EcologicalGoodsandServices………..……………………………………………...……………..........11
SummaryListofSpecies……………………………………………………………….….…………..........12
ThreatstotheWildlifeCorridor……………………………………………………………....……........15
ResilienceStudyIdentifiesBuffaloCreek…………………………….…..………..……….….........16
VirginiaNaturalLandscapeAssessment………………………………………….………................17
ExistingEasements……………………………………………………………………………..……..…........18
References………………………………………………………………..…………………..………….….........19
1TableofContents
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Nestled in the Shenandoah Valley, between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains,RockbridgeCountyremainsalargelyintactrurallandscapeofexceptionalnaturalbeauty,marked bywinding rivers and streams, stretches of national forests, small family farms,andscenicviewsofmountains,thecountyisabreathtakingsightwhereveryoulook.
Today, the rural character and natural beauty of Rockbridge County are under pressurefromincreasingdevelopment.Thisdevelopment,alongwithInterstate‐81whichspanstheentirelengthoftheValleyofVirginia,presentsabarrierforwildlifebetweentheBlueRidgeandAlleghenymountains.NotonlyhastheInterstatecontributedtohabitatfragmentation,but it also impacts water quality. Despite these pressures, Buffalo Creek watershedprovides thebest remaininghabitat and safepassage formigratinganimalsbetween the
twomountainranges.
Buffalo Creekwatershed is one of the lastlargely forested areas between theAllegheny and the Blue Ridge Mountains.Thewatershed includes Buffalo Creek andColliersCreek,whichmeanderinandoutoffarmlandand forestsbeforeemptying intotheJamesRiver.Alsowithinthewatershedis a forested corridor, with a sizeableexisting underpass under I‐81, providingthenecessarycoverandforageforwildlife.
The corridor provides numerous benefits for the community aswell as safe passage forwildlifeundertheinterstate.Thesebenefitsincludedecreasednumberofwildlife‐vehiclecollisions, increased biodiversity and species health, and improved opportunities forfishing and hunting. Increased land conservation in the watershed will enhance thesebenefitsandimprovethehealthofboththeBuffaloCreekandChesapeakeBaywatersheds.
2Introduction:RockbridgeCountyandBuffaloCreek
BuffaloCreekcutsthroughthefarmlandintheshadowoftheBlueRidgeMountains.
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For the past 35 years, Rockbridge Area Conservation Council (RACC) has promoted thewise stewardship and sustainable use of Rockbridge County’s natural and culturalresourceswiththegoalofprotectingthoseresourcestoenhancethequalityof lifeof thecounty’s inhabitants. It is the firm belief of RACC that the designation of Buffalo CreekwatershedincombinationwithPurgatoryMountainasaSpecialProjectAreawoulddojustthat–improvethequalityoflifeoflocalresidentsandallVirginiansbyprotectingavaluedecosystem.
ThesectionsofthisreportthatfollowsummarizethemoredetailedinformationabouttheBuffalo Creekwatershed that RACC has gathered as part of its study of thewatershed’sfunctionasawildlifecorridor.ManyofthesameecologicalcharacteristicsarealsofoundinthecontiguousPurgatoryMountainareaoftheproposedSpecialProjectArea(SPA).As a local conservation organization, RACC anticipates focusing its land conservationeffortsontheBuffaloCreekportionoftheSPAwhileworkingincollaborationwithVCCandother partner groups in Botetourt County to preserve the high quality habitat of theadjacent Purgatory Mountain portion of the SPA area that contributes to a successfullyfunctioningwildlifecorridor.RACC also continues to support the work of Preservation Virginia, Historic LexingtonFoundationandRockbridgeHistoricalSocietytoestablishtheBuffaloCreekRuralHistoricDistrict.
BuffaloCreekisjustoneofthemanytributariesoftheChesapeakeBay.
3OngoingandFutureInitiatives
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Theexcellentcollaborativerelationshipsamongthearea’snon‐profitorganizationsandthesupport of local governments create an ideal opportunity for ongoing land conservationinitiativesintheproposedBuffaloCreekPurgatoryMountainSPA.RACC is continuing its work in consultation with VDOT and DCR on documenting anddelineating the Buffalo Creek watershed wildlife corridor, and plans on hosting aninformational conservation easement reception for key land owners in thewatershed inthelatterhalfof2013.The Buffalo Creek Wildlife Corridor: Mountain Connections Concept
The future viability of many wildlife populations in North America depends on permanent linkages between disjunct habitats. Unfortunately, these linkages often are separated by human development and highway systems. Interstate 81 and related developments along this highway corridor in Virginia present a particularly problematic barrier between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains. Future development associated with and proximal to I-81 will continue to diminish the value of any possible linkage, and solidify the separation of the two mountain systems. As time passes, the linkages get weaker and the barriers more impenetrable. Currently, there are few possibilities for safe passage of wildlife across the Valley and I-81. Most overpasses and underpasses along I-81 are highway corridors, not natural stream courses. The few underpasses that do accommodate streams have developments nearby that limit or prohibit safe passage of animals. Visual surveys and analysis of maps along the I-81 corridor indicate that the Buffalo Creek watershed in Rockbridge County and highway underpass on I-81 may be the only existing, reasonable, and viable option for a strong linkage/corridor for wildlife across the Valley to the mountains on either side. Unique to this watershed is: 1) the close proximity of public mountain lands (national forests) on either side of the interstate; 2) a sizeable underpass under the I-81 bridge that can insure the relative safe passage of animals; 3) undeveloped private lands proximal to the interstate as well as within the watershed in general; and 4) sizeable land tracts in the watershed that are already in the Virginia conservation easement program. Consequently, RACC supports an initiative to focus attention to this unique opportunity to promote the development of a comprehensive plan that will insure the future viability of this important wildlife corridor.
4BuffaloCreekWildlifeCorridor:What’sNext
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Buffalo Creek Wildlife Corridor Study Objectives:
1. To assimilate and analyze existing physical, biological and cultural data from the Buffalo Creek Watershed for determining the current strengths and weaknesses of this watershed
and the I-81 underpass as a wildlife corridor connecting viable habitats in the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains.
2. To establish a baseline level of current wildlife use under the I-81 bridge along Buffalo Creek.
3. To develop a long-term conservation strategy based on the above findings that will facilitate improvements in the corridor.
4. To solicit financial support for the Buffalo Creek corridor initiative.
5. To develop a website and other educational materials (brochures, posters, power point presentation) related to the project.
6. To work with related state and federal agencies and conservation organizations to educate residents of the watershed and encourage conservation projects that will serve to enhance the longevity and integrity of the wildlife corridor.
7. To sponsor a gathering of current and potential future conservation easement holders within the watershed for the purpose of celebration, communication, and education.
8. To coordinate with appropriate state and federal agencies to officially designate the Buffalo Creek Watershed as a special conservation area.
Study Methods:
1. Baseline data from all available sources will be gathered and assimilated into a GIS data base.
2. Data will be analyzed, interpreted and finalized into a formal report.
3. Remote trail cameras will be monitored for current wildlife activity along Buffalo Creek at I-81.
4. Summary data will be prepared as a power point presentation for use at various meetings.
5. Information from the technical report will be used to develop a website and prepare a brochure and portable poster display to be use for public education.
6. A committee of conservation easement holders in the watershed will be formed to plan a community–based meeting to educate landowners about the values of their watershed.
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7. Appropriate state and federal agencies will be contacted to encourage that the Buffalo Creek Watershed be considered for designation as a special conservation area.
Funding:
1) Members of RACC are currently providing financial support for the Buffalo Creek initiative.
2) Additional financial and field support will be sought through the appropriate state, federal and private foundations as needed. Currently support for the landowner informational conservation easement reception has been requested from the Upper James RC&D.
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HistoryARichHeritage‐TheCounty
TherecordedhistoryoftheShenandoahValleybeginsin1716,whenEnglishsettlersledbyVirginiaGovernorSpottswoodfirstdiscoveredtheregion.Notlongafter,BenjaminBordenreceived a royal grant to use the land for farming and, in the 1730s, Scotch‐Irish andGermans fromPennsylvaniabegansettling theareaalong theGreatWagonRoad– todayknownasUSRoute11orLeeHighway.
In1778,landwastakenfromAugusta and Botetourtcounties to form RockbridgeCounty, named after theregion’s Natural Bridgelandmark.Themainindustryof the county mirrored thatof the Shenandoah Valley –agriculture, but with aconcentration in the farmingof grains and beef.Rockbridge County todaymaintains a farm‐basedeconomy, save for thecityofLexington which has aneducation‐basedindustry.
CivilWar
The Shenandoah Valley wasnostrangertothecampaignsand battles of the Civil War.In, 1862, the Shenandoah
Valley was home to Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign which aimed to help theConfederacybackonitsfeet.WarintheValleyendureduntilPhillipSheridan’s1864
6HistoricalContextof Rockbridge County
AnhistoricmapofRockbridgedetailingitshistoryandlandmarksfrom1776‐1865.
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Shenandoah Campaign,which ultimately led to the Confederacy’s downfall. In total, theShenandoahValleysaw326armedconflictsduringtheCivilWar.
Several of these conflicts occurred just miles from Rockbridge County, including CedarCreek,Lynchburg,Tom’sBrook,Staunton,andWaynesboro.ButRockbridgeCountyitselfhas a close tie to the Civil War by means of Generals Jackson and Lee and Lexington’shistoricVirginiaMilitaryInstituteandWashingtonandLeeUniversity.
Before Thomas J. Jackson became Stonewall Jackson, he was a West Point‐educatedVirginianandheldateachingpostatVMI.WhenVirginiaofficiallysecededfromtheUnionin April of 1861, it was Jackson who led VMI’s cadet corps from Rockbridge County toRichmondandpreparedthemforbattle. ThestudentsofWashingtonandLeeUniversity(then Washington College), formed a company of infantry known as the Liberty HallVolunteers.Thiscompanywasincorporatedintothe4thVirginiaInfantryRegimentoftheStonewallBrigade,acollectionoffiveinfantryregiments under the command of StonewallJackson.
While students of both colleges fought in thewar under Jackson, Lexington itself saw verylittleactionuntiltheShenandoahCampaignof1864, when Union general David Hunter cutthrough Lexington on his way to Lynchburg.Hunter’s army ransacked both campuses,destroying books and laboratory equipmentbeforecontinuingalong.
Jackson’sfellowConfederategeneralRobertE.Lee also called Rockbridge County home, as he served as president of war‐devastatedWashington College from 1865 until his death in 1870. As president of the southerncollege,Leedidhisparttorestorethecollegeaboveandbeyonditspre‐wardaysandtoaidinReconstructionbyrecruitingnorthernerstotheschoolsoastoreunitebrothersoftheNorthandtheSouth.
Lexington today still houses the historic landmarks that survived the CivilWar, namely:Washington andLeeUniversity’s colonnade,VirginiaMilitary Institute, thehousesof theLee family and Jackson family, and the churches of the Lee family and Jackson family.Additionally,bothStonewallJacksonandGeneralLee,alongwiththeirfamilies,havebeenlaidtorestinLexington,Virginia,ashasLee’shorse,Traveller.
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WashingtonCollegeatGeneralLee'sfuneral,justfiveyearsaftertheCivilWar.
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CombiningPastandPresent
Intoday’smodernworld,theBuffaloCreekwatershedstillmaintainsclosetiestoitspast.The National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register havedesignated15historicpropertieswithinthewatershed.ThesepropertiesareBuffaloBendStone House, Buffalo Forge, Cedar Hill, Cedar Hill Church and Cemeteries, Echols Farm,Falling Spring Presbyterian Church, Fancy Hill, Hamilton Schoolhouse, Hickory Hill,Marlbrook,Mount Pleasant House,Margaret E. PoagueHouse, Rockbridge Inn, VineyardHill,andVineForest. Additionally,thewatershedhasseveralpropertiesnotlistedontheRegister that are extremely historic nonetheless. These include the home of BruceMcDonaldonZollman’sMill,SarahClayton’sHouse,andtheSevenHillsproperties.
The Seven Hills of Rockbridge are sevenmansions built for theWelch, Greenlee, andGrigsby families. The antebellum mansionsserved as large‐scale plantations, schools,domestic dwellings, restaurants, and innsthroughouttheyears.CherryHill,thefirstofthe seven mansions, was built in 1790 forDavidGreenlee. TheothersixareFruitHill,RoseHill,FancyHill,CedarHill,HickoryHill,andLibertyHill.AlloftheSevenHillsarestillin existence today, all of them privatelyownedandmaintained.Evenover200yearsafter their construction, the mansions stillfunction as plantations, homes, restaurants,
andinns,preservingtheirhistoricalsignificanceforfuturegenerationstoenjoy.
The preliminary nomination for the Buffalo Creek Rural Historic District has beenapprovedbytheCommonwealthofVirginiaandtheCountyisconsideringdesignatingtheBuffaloCreekareaasahistoricoverlaydistrict.
Datingfromthe1800s,FancyHillisoneoftheSevenHillsofRockbridge.
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ARichHeritage:BuffaloCreek
1)LockanddamoftheMaury‐BuffaloForge
In 1851, the North River Navigation Companybegantobuildlocks,damsandcanalstoextendtheJamesRiverCanalup toLexington. Today, this isoneofthebestpreservedofVirginia’scanals.
2)Timber
The Department of Forestry averaged sales inRockbridge County between 1986 and 2001 as$3,445,183.PineandHardwoodare the twomostharvested trees in the timber industry inRockbridgeCounty.
3)IronOre
RockbridgeCountyhasbeenthecenteroftheironindustrysinceGrant’sfurnace,thefirstfurnacewestoftheBlueRidge,wasbuiltin1760in“IronValley”.IronmakinghadagreatinfluenceonthedevelopmentofRockbridgeCounty,promotingthedevelopmentofriversandcanalsforsuppliesandtotransportfinishedproducts.Theironindustryutilizerstheriverforwaterpowerforironfurnacestoworkthebellowswhichfantheflamestomelttheironoretomaketheirrawproduct,barsofpigiron.Thisisthenmeltedtomakepots,pans,andothercastgoods. Oneironfurnacewasevenusedforrecreation:atOldBuenaVistaFurnace,theJordansbuiltaminiaturecanalsystemwithalockandlandingsforthechildrentoplayin.
4)Farming
Most of the county, as it appeared to early settlers, comprised largely bymeadows andsavannas surrounded by beautifully rolling hills bordered by the two large mountainranges. Soon farmsteads formed along the bottomlands and in the foothills beganproducingsurplusgrainsandbeef.Millsthatprocessedwheat,barley,rye,andcornservedascommunitybusinesscenters.Huntingandtrappingsupplementedfarmproduction,andbounties for wolves and other predators helped produce cash. Among the influentialpeople who have been born in Rockbridge County over the years is Cyrus McCormick,inventorofthereaperwhichrevolutionizedfarming.
9HistoryofBuffaloCreek
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1) Fishing: specifically fly fishing for anglers, to catch brown and rainbow trout in Buffalo Creek
2) Kayaking/Whitewater Rafting/ Canoeing: 12.5 mile stretch from Effinger to Buffalo Forge
rated by American Whitewater as a class I‐III.
3) Hiking: Buffalo Creek is located to the west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, whose beautiful
scenery invites hikers to its many trails including Gunter Ridge Trail: moderate to difficult
3.75 mile trail on James River Face Wilderness property (George Washington and Jefferson
National Forests), intersects Belfast Trail and the Appalachian Trail (AT); beginning elevation
– 920 ft, highest elevation – 2640 ft; horses allowed.
3) Hunting: Public Lands for hiking and hunting include: Short Hills, George Washington
National Forest, House Mountain preserve.
4) PleinAirPaintingandPhotography:TheRockbridgearea’sactiveartcommunitymakesfrequentuseofthescenicvistas.
5) Birding: The Rockbridge Bird Club sponsors outings, conducts bird counts, andsupportsagrowingmembershipofactivebirdersintheCounty.
6) BikingandRunning:CountyroadsintheBuffaloCreekwatershedareregularlyusedbybicyclistsandrunners.
10RecreationalActivitiesinBuffaloCreek
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Ecological goods in Rockbridge County Ecological goods are those that can be tangibly measured in an economic valuation framework and include:
1) Timber - Third in the state for hardwood production
2) Agriculture 3) Iron Ore
Ecological Services Ecosystem services are the conditions and processes through which natural ecosystems sustain and fulfill human life. Humans are dependent on these ecosystem services for their existence, and many are irreplaceable. Ecosystem services often are overlooked as landscapes are developed largely because traditional economic analyses that incorporate the financial benefits of development usually do not include the financial benefits of ecosystem services. Studies have estimated that these services contribute as much or more to the global economy as do marketplace processes (Costanza et al. 1997) and that they can result in a return on investment in excess of 100 to 1 when natural lands are conserved (Balmford et al. 2002). These financial benefits are further increased when considering the recreational opportunities natural lands provide and the tourism revenues they generate.
Some ecological services provided by forested areas near Buffalo Creek include:
1) Filtering nutrients and pollutants from water
2) Preventing erosion
3) Retaining soil,
4) Providing pollinators for crops,
5) Removing carbon from the air and sequestering it in woody biomass
6) Slowing and absorbing runoff so groundwater is recharged,
7) Absorbing solar energy and keeping local areas cooler
8) Providing protection from storm and flood damage
11EcologicalGoodsandServices
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Buffalo Creek is listed as a 303D stream for bacteria; all these services would help improve the Creek’s condition.
Summary List of Animal Species
Tolerant/Intolerant*
Native/Introduced
FeedingCategory**
Endangered/Threatened/Rare
*Toleranceisusedasanindicatorforstreamhealth.Becauseintolerantspeciesarelessabletowithstandpollution,theirpresencesignifiesthatastreamisrelativelyhealthy.
**KeytoFeedingCategories:
AL=Algivore IV=Invertivore
GE=Generalist OM=Omnivore
HE=Herbivore TP=TopPredator
IS=Insectivore
FAMILYANDSPECIES COMMONNAME FRESHWATERFISH
SalmonidaeTrout
Salvelinusfontinalis Brooktrout I N TP Salmotrutta Browntrout I I TP Oncorhyncusmykiss Rainbowtrout I I TP MAMMALS
Ursidae Bear Ursusamericanus Blackbear N OM Cervidae Deer
Odocoileusvirginianus White‐taileddeer N HE BIRDS
Phasianidae Pheasant Meleagrisgallopavo Wildturkey N OM
Laniidae Shrike
Laniusludovicianus Loggerheadshrike N IV R
INSECTS
Calopterygidae Damselflies
Calopteryxangustipennis Appalachian I N IS R
12AnimalSpecies
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jewelwing
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Summary List of Plant Species
Threatened/Endangered/Rare
Native/Introduced
SpecialStatusinVirginia*
*KeytoSpecialVirginiaStatus:
R=SpeciesonVirginiaRareVascularPlantList W=SpeciesonVirginiaVascularPlantWatchList
FAMILYANDSPECIES COMMONNAME DIVISIONCONIFEROPHYTA CONIFERS
Cupressaceae CypressFamily
Juniperusvirginiana Easternredcedar N
DIVISIONMAGNOLIOPHYTA FLOWERINGPLANTS
CLASSLILIOPSIDA MONOCOTS
Cyperaceae SedgeFamily
Carexinterior Inlandsedge X
Carexprairea Prairiesedge X
Junacaceae RushFamily
Juncusbrachycephalus Small‐headedrush X
Juncusnodosus Knottedrush X
Menyanthaceae MarshFamily
Menyanthestrifoliate Buckbean X
Orchidaceae OrchidFamily
Spirantheslucida Shiningladies'‐tresses X
Poaceae GrassFamily
Spartinapectinata Freshwatercordgrass X
CLASSMAGNOLIOPSIDA DICOTS
Asteraceae CompositeFamily
Solidagoarguta Cutleafgoldenrod
Solidagoharrisii Shale‐barrengoldenrod
Cornaceae DogwoodFamily
13PlantSpecies
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Cornusflorida Floweringdogwood N
FAMILYANDSPECIES
COMMONNAME
T/E/R
N/I
VaStatus*
Eleagnaceae OleasterFamily
Elaeagnusumbellate Autumnolive
Ericaceae HeathFamily
Vacciniumangustifolium Northernlowbushblueberry N
Vacciniumcorymbosum Highbushblueberry N
Fabaceae PeaFamily
Lathyrus Vetchling X
Fagaceae BeechFamily
Quercusprinus Chestnutoak N
Primulaceae PrimroseFamily
Lysimachiaquadriflora Smoothloosestrife X
Rosaceae RoseFamily
Filipendularubra Queen‐of‐the‐prairie X
Salicaceae WillowFamily
Salixdiscolor Pussywillow X
Saxifragaceae SaxifrageFamily
Parnassiagrandifolia Largeleafgrass‐of‐parnassas
X
Schrophulariaceae FigwortFamily
Veronicascutellata Marshspeedwell X
Vitaceae GrapeFamily
Vitisrupestris Sandgrape X
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1)Development
ExpansionofI‐81
Intensiveagriculture
Sprawldevelopment
2)Waterqualitydegradation
Runoff from developed and agricultural land has resulted in water quality degradation. Five of the 14 Rockbridge County streams monitored by the Virginia Department of
Environmental Quality don't meet federal water quality standards. Buffalo Creek is one of these streams.
All the major segments of Buffalo Creek are impaired: they either don't meet the standards for swimmable waters or don't meet standards for supporting aquatic life.
15ThreatstotheWildlifeCorridor
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ResearchinTerrestrialAnalysis
In early 2012, the Valley Conservancy completed a terrestrial resiliency analysis of thenortheastern and mid‐Atlantic states, funded by the Doris Duke Foundation. The analysisexamined underlying landscape characteristics that maintain or increase diversity andresilience,andusedthisinformationtoidentifywhichareasbestexemplifiedresilienceandaremostlikelyforconservationtosucceed.Theanalysiswasconductedinthreesteps:
Step1Identificationandmappingofareausinggeophysicalrepresentation
Step2Estimationofresilienceforeachareabasedonlandscapecomplexityandpermeability
Step3Identificationoflinkagesimportantinclimate‐inducedregionalmovements
Tosummarize,thismodelidentifiedlarger‐scale directional movements withinareas of natural cover based landscape.While the model did look at large‐scalemigration,itdidnotexaminethefeasibilityof linkages to act as wildlife corridors nordid it follow the movement of specificspecies.
TheBuffaloCreekcorridorstandsoutasan area of high resilience andconnectivityandthereforeanimportant
areatopreserve.
Thismapshowstheresultsofthestudy,integratingfocalareaswithregionalflowconcentrations.Thecorridorisa
focalareaofconcentratedcurrentflow.
http://conserveonline.org/workspaces/ecs/documents/resilient-sites-for-terrestrial-conservation-1
16ResilienceStudyIdentifiesBuffaloCreek
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VirginiaIdentificationoftheBuffaloCreekCorridor
The Virginia Natural Heritage Program in the Department of Conservation and Recreation has developed a network of natural lands for the commonwealth of Virginia. This project, named the Virginia Natural Landscape Assessment (VaNLA), is a landscape-scale geospatial analysis for identifying, prioritizing, and linking natural lands in Virginia. Using land cover data derived from satellite imagery, the VaNLA identifies large patches of natural land with at least one hundred acres of interior cover and determines which ecological cores have the most integrity.
Ecological cores were mapped for the entire study area, which included the commonwealth of Virginia and a 20-mile buffer around the state. Over fifty attributes were assigned to the ecological cores providing information about rare species and habitats, environmental diversity, species diversity, patch characteristics, patch context, and water quality benefits. These attributes can be used by planners to select ecological cores that have the characteristics and provide the benefits of greatest interest to them. To assist in identifying highly significant ecological cores, VNHP selected nine ecological attributes and used them in a principal components analysis to develop a prioritization by ecological integrity
VaNLA also identified which corridors had the highest integrity. Landscape corridors, strips of natural cover that connect patches of similar cover, are central to conserving metapopulations as they have been shown to increase exchange of animals among patches and to facilitate dispersal of pollens and seeds (Tewksbury et al. 2002). Stu dies have concluded that landscape corridors are valuable conservation tools (Bier and Noses 1998) that are necessary for conservation of biodiversity (Damschen et al. 2006). .
The Buffalo Creek Corridor was identified by the Virginia Natural Heritage Program as a corridor of high integrity.
17VANaturalLandscapeAssessment
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Thereare70existingconservationeasementsintheproposedBuffaloCreekPurgatoryMountainSPAarea(seeenclosedSPAmap).
Thenetworkofexistingeasementincombinationwithotherforestedandconservedpubliclandsoffersanunusuallyrichopportunityforestablishingcorridorconnectivitywithstrategicinitiativestofacilitateadditionalconservationeasements.
18ExistingEasements
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Trout, W.E. Maury River Atlas: Historic Sites on the North River Navigation. Ruth Anderson Muculloch of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, RACC, and the Rockbridge Historical Society, 1992.
http://webfeat-inc.com/rockbridge/rbhistory.htm
http://www.lexingtonvirginia.com/fishing.htm
http://www.riverfacts.com/details/13427.html#stats
http://www.riverfacts.com/rivers/13427.html
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/gwj/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=78540&actid=50
http://www.co.rockbridge.va.us/departments/planning/economy_chapter.pdf
http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/vclnavnla.shtml
http://www.nps.gov/nr/
http://conserveonline.org/workspaces/ecs/documents/resilient-sites-for-terrestrial-conservation-1
19References
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