Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge

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    • Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge** is a federally protected natural area located in the southeastern corner of the City of Virginia Beach, established in 1938 to protect and provide habitat for migrating and wintering waterfowl. The refuge is part of the Atlantic Flyway, a migratory bird route that follows the East Coast of the United States. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the refuge stands today as one of the most significant wildlife sanctuaries in coastal Virginia, drawing naturalists, photographers, hikers, and birdwatchers from across the region and beyond.

History and Establishment

Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge was established on June 6, 1938 in the southeastern corner of the City of Virginia Beach — then known as Princess Anne County — as a 4,589-acre refuge. A decline in waterfowl populations during the last half of the 19th century and the first part of the 20th century were the driving factors for the creation of many national wildlife refuges, including Back Bay Refuge. The Back Bay area was once known as a wildfowler's paradise, as evidenced by the dozens of hunt clubs that surrounded Back Bay at the turn of the 20th century.

The original 1938 Executive Order established Back Bay NWR "as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife." The land was acquired under both executive authority and provisions of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act, which designated it for use as an inviolate sanctuary for migratory birds.[1]

While the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was done in cooperation with various government bureaus, the federal refuge was established in 1937 when the Princess Anne Club, a hunt club, was condemned, with a total of 3,113.52 acres. In the 1930s the Civilian Conservation Corps, part of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal program, worked to create sand dunes in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina by planting grasses and constructing dune fencing. During the early 1930s, the CCC built brush fences and planted cane and bulrush to catch the blowing sand, building and stabilizing sand dunes. Later, sand fences of wood were built, and many of the dunes were planted with beach grass. These dunes protected the bayside flats and allowed a marsh to be established.[2]

In addition to the impoundment complex, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service pursued a land acquisition program, beginning in the 1980s, to protect the watershed and enhance wildlife habitat in the area immediately surrounding the Back Bay. Over the decades, the refuge's acreage expanded significantly from its original 4,589-acre footprint to its current size of more than 9,000 acres.

Geography and Habitats

Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge contains over 9,200 acres of marsh, beaches, dunes, woodlands, and farm fields. The refuge encompasses a variety of habitats including beach, dunes, shrub-scrub, freshwater wetlands, and woodlands. The primary unit of the wildlife refuge sits on a thin strip of barrier island coastline typical of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.[3]

Other areas of the refuge include islands in Back Bay and upland areas on the west bank of the bay, including a public kayak launch and fishing site at the end of Horn Point Road, open April through October. The southern part of the refuge includes an extensive impoundment complex. These managed water pools are visible to visitors as they travel refuge trails on the way to adjacent False Cape State Park, which is only accessible by foot, bicycle, boat, kayak, or tram.[4]

During the 20th century the bay saw many changes, including a shift from a brackish system to an oligohaline (less than 5 parts per thousand salinity) one. As water quality declined, concentrations of underwater vegetation also diminished. Without underwater vegetation the largemouth bass fishery collapsed and waterfowl were unable to find the food they needed in Back Bay. In response, refuge managers developed an impoundment complex to sustain the habitat. This impoundment complex now consists of a series of ten connected water pools. The water levels of these impoundments can be raised and lowered to provide the best habitat for the type of birds using the refuge during a given season.

The trail system covers 2.7 miles and consists of seven interconnected trails that provide opportunities to observe the wildlife and vegetation of the refuge's seven distinct habitats — ocean, beach, marsh, shrubs, grassland, maritime forest, and freshwater bay.[5]

Wildlife

Over 300 species of birds and dozens of reptiles, amphibians, mammals, insects, and fish have been documented at the wildlife refuge. Set aside by President Roosevelt in 1938 as a haven for migratory birds, this thin spit of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Back Bay offers some of the best birdwatching on the Eastern Seaboard. The 9,108 acres of the refuge contain barrier islands, dunes, coastal woodland, freshwater marshes, maritime forests, ponds, and sandy beaches — all essential habitat for the 300 different species that make the refuge home. Wildlife watchers have plenty to see year-round, but the refuge is a birdwatcher's paradise in the fall and winter, when migrating flocks of duck, goose, and swan species stop here to rest and feed before their long journey south.[6]

Thousands of tundra swans, snow and Canada geese, and a large variety of ducks visit the refuge during the fall and winter migration. Refuge waterfowl populations usually peak during December and January. During the peak of winter migration, a wide variety of ducks, tundra swans, and snow geese visit the Back Bay. Other winter migrants include the rare LeConte's sparrow and the ubiquitous yellow-rumped warbler. Spring migration brings songbirds and shorebirds that fill the wetlands, shrubs, and woodland areas.

The refuge also provides habitat for other wildlife, including threatened and endangered species such as the loggerhead sea turtle, and recently recovered species like the brown pelican and bald eagle. Mammals such as river otters, white-tailed deer, raccoons, and bobcats also reside in the refuge. Numerous reptiles and amphibians rely on the habitats of Back Bay NWR, including cottonmouths (water moccasins), which are seen frequently. Nutria (Myocastor coypus), an invasive species from South America, are also common in Back Bay NWR.

Established for migrating and wintering waterfowl, Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge focuses on providing optimal feeding and resting habitats for birds. A freshwater impoundment complex is managed to provide waterfowl feeding and resting areas during the winter months. Outside of the winter season, these wetland pools provide habitat for shorebirds, wading birds, and a variety of reptiles, amphibians, and mammals.

Recreation and Visitor Access

There are many opportunities for outdoor recreation at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Visitors enjoy hiking, biking, wildlife observation and photography, kayaking, and both freshwater and surf fishing. In addition to providing habitat for migratory birds and wildlife, Back Bay Refuge provides over eight miles of scenic trails, a Visitor Center, interpretive programming, and, with advance scheduling, environmental education opportunities.[7]

The refuge's trail network encompasses several named routes, each suited to different visitor interests. The Kuralt Trail is one in a system of trails at 11 national wildlife refuges and one national fish hatchery in the southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina region. The trail system is dedicated to Charles Kuralt, the radio and TV host of On the Road, whose programming brought the beauty and mystery of national wildlife refuges to people across the country. Two trails lead through the dunes to the beach at Back Bay NWR. The Seaside Trail is adjacent to the parking area and the quickest way to visit the refuge beach. Visitors meander through marsh, shrubby trees, and dunes on the 0.25-mile walk to the beach.[8]

Due to the refuge's protected status, swimming and sunbathing are prohibited on refuge lands. To protect seabird nesting and resting areas, the refuge's two longest hikes — the East and West Dike trails — are closed from November 1 through March 31. The Raptor, Kuralt, Seaside, and Dune Trails remain open year-round, as does the beach.

The refuge works with neighboring False Cape State Park to provide tram tours throughout the year. Tram tours begin at the wildlife refuge parking lot and start with a ride through the wildlife refuge to reach the state park. After a brief visit at the park's Visitor Center, the tram continues deep into the state park, all the way to the site of the historic Wash Woods community. A one-mile, round-trip optional hike brings participants to the cemetery and church steeple, all that remains of this community. Educational tram tours run from April 1 through October 31.

The refuge is open daily, half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. An entrance fee of $5.00 applies from April 1 through October 31, with free admission from November 1 through March 31. Pets are not allowed at any time of year, with the exception of service dogs.

Conservation and Community Partnership

The Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge Society, located at 1324 Sandbridge Road in Virginia Beach, serves as the primary partner and Friends group of the refuge. The Society was formed in 2020 as an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System. Its purpose is to promote and support the refuge in its mission to conserve, protect, and enhance natural resources through projects, advocacy, outreach, education, fundraising, diverse membership, and volunteerism.[9]

Regular surveys of birds and vegetation provide information that assists in determining whether current management objectives are being met to benefit trust species. Refuge visitors can upload photographs from their phones at four designated locations, with those photographs contributing to scientific documentation of refuge habitats by automatically appearing in time-lapse videos available online.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has pursued a land acquisition program, beginning in the 1980s, to protect the watershed and enhance wildlife habitat in the area immediately surrounding Back Bay. The refuge's conservation mission extends to educating future generations: as of 2025, the Back Bay NWR Society has undertaken construction of an outdoor classroom facility at the refuge, with funding raised through community donors, regional foundations, and corporate partners.[10]

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 570 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth. Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge remains a cornerstone of that system on the Virginia coast, balancing public access with the protection of one of the East Coast's most dynamic migratory bird corridors.

See Also

References

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