SNP celebrates addition of nearly 1,000 acres

Shenandoah National Park celebrated the addition of nearly 1,000 acres of land from the Shenandoah National Park Trust.

The historic donation is one of the largest ever received by the park according to the press release. 

The land was purchased in 2021 from the Bradford, Dean, and Graves families by the Trust using funds from a $3 million settlement between the Commonwealth of Virginia and  Dupont Chemical Company.

The land will be open to the public as part of the park but no trails are currently being planned as the main purpose of acquiring this land is forest preservation and to combat climate change.

The woodlands contain the headwaters of Naked Creek in the Tanners Ridge area of Page county which is home to many native plants and animal species like black bear and brook trout.

Conservation of this area also protects some of the tributaries that lead to the South Fork of the Shenandoah River which will improve the habitat for migratory birds, fish and other wildlife.