The George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC) region includes the counties of Stafford, King George, Spotsylvania, and Caroline, the city of Fredericksburg, and the incorporated towns of Bowling Green and Port Royal.  It is home to approximately 358,000 people.  The region  features numerous historic sites, and due to it's proximity to Washington, D.C. and Richmond, it is known as an unofficial exurb of both metropolitan areas.

The fast pace of economic development and associated residential has placed increasing stress on the natural environment.  Fredericksburg also has a a history of flooding given its proximity to the Rappahannock River.  The Virginia CZM Program has partnered with GWRC on a variety of efforts to promote resiliency. 

What Role Has Virginia CZM Played in the Region? 

Virginia CZM has funded projects in the region related to blue-green infrastructure (BGI) assessment and planning, a campaign to increase use and availability of plants native to the region, and expanding public access.

From FY2008-2010, GWRC used GIS analysis to map BGI assets, engage local stakeholders, and complete a plan that allowed GWRC staff and their member localities to strategically plan for the conservation of these resources while utilizing them to buffer against the downstream effects of development on water quality and wildlife habitat.

In FY2016, Virginia CZM began a partnership with GWRC to launch and implement the Plant Central Rapp Natives Campaign, part of the Plant Virginia Natives Initiative.  GWRC continues to provide leadership on a campaign steering team of regional public and non-profit partners to promote the use of regional natives in urban and suburban landscapes for their many social, cultural, and economic benefits, and to increase the availability of these native plants from plant providers throughout the region.  With funding from Virginia CZM, the campaign published a popular guide to regional native plants - Native Plants for Central Rappahannock Virginia.

In FY2015, Virginia CZM funded the expansion of an existing fishing pier in the Town of Port Royal, while simultaneously mapping a local section of the Rappahannock River for inclusion as a water trails section within the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge. For more information on the project, please visit the Town of Port Royal's Recreation webpage.

Finally, Virginia CZM leveraged NOAA Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) funds in FY2009 to partner with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and several private-sector land trusts to acquire the necessary parcels to create the Crow's Nest Natural Area Preserve.  The preserve supports 2,310 acres of globally-rare mature hardwood forests and 895 acres of tidal and non-tidal wetlands, which are 60% of all coastal marshes within Stafford County.  The preserve offers hiking trails, observation platforms, a kayak launch, and public parking areas.

Virginia CZM continues to provide funds to GWRC to incorporate resilience into planning efforts., as well as to support quarterly meetings of the GWRC Regional Environmental Managers to allow for localities to maintain an active presence in regional environmental planning.

GWRC Projects Funded by Virginia CZM

The table below lists GWRC projects funded by Virginia CZM since fiscal year 2008. This list does not include annual Coastal Technical Assistance grants from Virginia CZM to GWRC. Virginia CZM funds are typically matched 50/50, but the table below only includes federal funds provided by Virginia CZM. Any Project Names that are linked in the table below will take you to the Project List for that fiscal year where you can open the Task Number at the bottom of the page to find more information on the corresponding project.