Transcript Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge

Chris Lowie
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Refuge Manager
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
1763 – George Washington
Visited the Swamp
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
1909 – Camp Manufacturing
Lumber Company
 Logging
was a significant
activity for centuries for
financial benefit
 Camp
logged for nearly 40
years
 Completely
changed the
habitat communities of the
swamp to what it is today
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
1974 – Great Dismal Swamp NWR
“A Gift To The Nation”
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Land donated by Union Camp Corp. in
1973 as Dismal Swamp NWR
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Partnership with The Nature Conservancy
49,000 acres - largest donation of public land
Dismal Swamp Act of 1974 established
Great Dismal Swamp NWR
“ . . . primary purpose of protecting and
preserving a unique and outstanding
ecosystem, as well as protecting and
perpetuating the diversity of life therein.”
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
To Today
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Over 112,900 acres of
forested wetland
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Ecosystem
Inherited 150 miles of ditches
Highly altered hydrology
175 square miles
Great Dismal Swamp NWR Hydrologic
History
1890
1973
Why Great Dismal Swamp
for NAI Workshop
A Glimpse Into the Future
(from Present Occurrences)
South One
Lateral West
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Current Fire Statistics for
Albermarle Sound Refuges
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GDSNWR; 2004 - 2011
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11 wildfires
15 starts in one month in 2007
2 largest and most expensive in Refuge and VA
history in last three years
3 Refuges combined in Albermarle Watershed
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2008 and 2011; four fires
94,000 acres
20 million metric tons of carbon
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
We estimate that the 20 million metric tons of
carbon released in four fires would equate to
annual greenhouse gas emissions from over
14,000,000 passenger vehicles or annual CO2
emissions of 17 coal fired power plants.
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Atlantic White Cedar
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Atlantic White Cedar
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Fish and Wildlife Service
Climate Change Strategic Plan
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Adaptation
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Mitigation
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Engagement
Hydrologic Restoration
to Increase Resiliency
of the NWRs
It’s Good for Wildlife and People
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Water Management
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
What We Know:
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Our system of ditches drain away precipitation quicker
than what would have taken place historically
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Frequent and prolonged periods of drought significantly
lower our water table, leaving peat soils vulnerable to
wildfire, soil subsidence, and oxidation of carbon
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Frequency, severity, and intensity of wildfires has
increased dramatically in recent years
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Coastal mid-Atlantic conservation lands are
experiencing loss of habitat due to rising sea levels and
ground subsidence (Alligator River NWR)
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Many plant species have begun to bloom earlier
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
What We Think Is Likely:
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Wildlife will need escape routes to higher habitat
as rising sea levels inundate coastal areas
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Extreme weather events (hurricanes, droughts)
to increase in frequency
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Altered synchronology – food web disturbances
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Certain species may become at risk due to lack of
availability of expected food sources upon their
migratory arrivals (birds) or from emergence (insects)
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
What We Are Doing:
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Hydrological research to determine the actual
impact of the ditch systems on the ground water
table
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Installation of more water control structures to
increase resiliency (adaptation)
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Working with partners to conserve wildlife corridors
allowing for upland movement of species
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Soil accretion for carbon sequestration (mitigation)
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Contributing to priority action items of the FWS
Climate Change Strategic Plan
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Who We Are Telling:
Agency leaders – RO, WO, DOI; Refuges,
Ecological Services, Migratory Birds
 Partners and potential funding sources
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And How:
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Fact sheets
 Video
 Face-to-Face briefings
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Wildlife-oriented recreation: Hiking
Now, how do we tell our story to the public?