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  • The Conservancy’s new gateway to Piney Grove Preserve is named in honor of the late Constance Darden, a devoted conservationist and philanthropist, and made possible by a generous gift from the Darden family. © Robert B. Clontz/TNC
  • Your easy 0.3-mile walk offers glimpses of a time when unbroken pine forests covered much of southeastern Virginia. You’ll also see evidence of the Conservancy’s decade of work to restore this extraordinary habitat to its historic richness. © Daniel White/TNC
  • Recently awarded Global Important Bird Area status, Piney Grove is home to Virginia’s last remaining population of red-cockaded woodpeckers and a host of other nesting woodpeckers, raptors, warblers and other songbirds you may spot along the trail. © Daniel White/TNC
  • A small spur overlooks a seasonal wetland. Depending on the time of year, it may be bone dry or nearly knee deep and teeming with frogs, toads and salamanders. And don’t forget to look down; you may see unusual plants such as these Indian pipes. © Daniel White/TNC
  • These stumps serve as apt symbols of Sussex County’s timber legacy, as well as recent habitat restoration. The Conservancy has selectively thinned certain areas to facilitate our fire program and accelerate the return of pine savannas. © Daniel White/TNC
  • The more time you take and the closer you look, the more nature will reward you. In late summer and fall, keep an eye out for small wonders such as this marbled orb weaver and its intricately designed trap. © Daniel White/TNC
  • This boardwalk takes you through another seasonal wetland. By staying on the trail, you will help avoid damage to these sensitive habitats. © Robert B. Clontz/TNC
  • Fire is a big part of the story here. The Conservancy works with numerous partners to return fire to its natural role in the Piney Grove ecosystem: maintaining open savanna habitat that red-cockaded woodpeckers and other species must have to survive. © Daniel White/TNC
  • At the end of the trail, the observation deck will give you the perspective of a bird perched at the mid-story level of the forest. Before you head back, take some time here, sit quietly and observe the web of life in a southern pine forest. © Daniel White/TNC
  • We hope you enjoyed your virtual hike along the Constance Darden Nature Trail. You can help us protect the red-cockaded woodpecker and its extraordinary home by returning to the Piney Grove page and clicking ‘Donate Now.’ © Robert B. Clontz/TNC
Constance Darden Nature Trail
The Nature Conservancy in Virginia