Wetland Restoration and Stewardship Plan

Scientists from VIMS measure water levels in a monitoring well, while officials from Longwood University, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers look on.

In the past, thousands of acres of wetlands within the Chesapeake Bay watershed were drained and filled for agriculture. Much of the land at Hull Springs Farm was also drained.

Soil and wetland scientists from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (of the College of William and Mary) have been researching the Farm’s hydrology, soil, and biological indicators (for example, plants) to determine areas of the farm that could be restored to wetlands.

Wetlands play an essential role in water quality, as they filter pollutants and fertilizers. Wetlands are critical breeding zones for amphibians, reptiles, and some species of fish, and also provide habitat for plants, insects, and birds.