13K acres to be protected on Middle Peninsula swamp

RICHMOND

Gov. Bob McDonnell says an additional 13,350 acres in the Middle Peninsula's Dragon Run Swamp will be protected from development.

It's the largest conservation easement in Virginia history and brings the total protected Dragon Run acreage to 20,000.

The Nature Conservancy bought the 13,350 acres from the Hancock Timber Resource Group, then sold it to The Forestland Group and retained a permanent conservation easement on the property.

McDonnell says Dragon Run Swamp is considered one of the most ecologically important areas in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.