Rapid Growth and Change on Virginia's Northern Neck

Virginia’s Northern Neck is undergoing rapid development as farms and forestland are giving way to urban development.

Longwood University’s Hull Springs Farm is a wonderful opportunity for a case study in wise land management for educational, research and ecological purposes. Longwood is developing plans for the farm’s wetlands, riparian (streamside), shoreline, and forested areas — plans that will serve as a model of an integrated approach to land-use decisions, ecological restoration, and low-impact development.

The Guiding Principles for the Farm, based on ecological principles, include protecting and restoring unique habitat, involving the community, and embracing low-impact development techniques. Hull Springs Farm will demonstrate how ecological restoration, land management, and land-use decisions are interconnected.