Location Lee County, Virginia Phone +1 812-336-5382 | Area 7.272 km² | |
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Governing body Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Address W Thrasher Rd, Bloomington, IN 47403, USA Similar Leonard Springs Nature P, Fourwinds Lakeside Inn & Mar, Lake Monroe Village, Hardin Ridge Recreatio | ||
Prescribed burn in the cedars natural area preserve
The Cedars Natural Area Preserve is a Natural Area Preserve located in Lee County, Virginia. It protects rare plant and animal species adapted to the unique conditions of a karst landscape.
Contents
Prescribed burn at the cedars natural area preserve
History
The Cedars Natural Area Preserve began as a 50-acre (0.20 km2) procurement by The Nature Conservancy in 1996. The following year, the land was transferred to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation to be managed as a Natural Area Preserve. Additional lands were added to the preserve in the ensuing years. In 2015, a state grant provided $317,711 to expand the preserve through purchase of an additional 150 acres (0.61 km2), including 6,170 feet (1,880 m) of frontage along the Powell River.
Description
The Cedars Natural Area Preserve is located in Lee County near the Powell River, within a 30-to-40-square-mile (78 to 104 km2) region of karst landscape that is known as "The Cedars". The limestone bedrock in such karst regions is easily eroded, leading to thin soils, sinkholes, caves, and losing streams. The 1,797-acre (7.27 km2) preserve's glades and woodlands comprise a rocky and rugged landscape that serves as a haven for numerous rare plants adapted to the habitat. The preserve also protects habitat for the loggerhead shrike, a rare bird within Virginia.
Regionally rare plants found within the preserve include:
Public access
The preserve is owned and maintained by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. It does not include improvements for public access, and visitors must make arrangements with a state-employed land steward prior to visiting.