Vandell Preserve at Cumberland Marsh

Get Involved: Preserve Volunteer Program

Virginia's Preserve Volunteer Community Program provides a vital service to help us maintain and monitor our public preserves across the state.

How can you get involved?

• Community Members—become involved with a preserve without committing time to stewardship work. Receive periodic updates about the preserve and special events.
• Preserve Stewards—visit Cumberland Marsh at least 4 times a year to assess trail and preserve conditions and perform basic trail maintenance by removing fallen branches and overgrown vegetation.
• Preserve Leaders—demonstrated commitment to the preserve and willingness to take on additional responsibilities like managing communication & scheduling, leading workdays and guiding naturalist hikes.

Please contact Jen Dalke, volunteer coordinator, at 434-951-0572 or jdalke@tnc.org to receive further information.

Download the Cumberland Marsh Volunteer Program handbook to learn more.

Conditions

An ADA-accessible boardwalk and observation deck on the marsh offers views of a wide variety of bird species, including bald eagles.  There are no restrooms.

What to See: Plants

World's largest population of the rare plant sensitive joint vetch occurs here.

What to See: Birds

Bald eagles, ospreys, great blue herons, and egrets; wintering populations of black ducks, wood ducks, mallards, and Canada geese.

What to Do:

The nearest launch site for paddle craft is four miles downstream at the Whites Landing (Lestor Manor) ramp, just downstream of the Pamunkey reservation.

Paddlers are encouraged to plan trips in accordance with tidal currents, which can be very strong along this section of the river.

A set of river maps can be ordered from the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Rivers Association at mpra.org.