‘Protecting the integrity of the river’: Upper Mattaponi Tribe to reclaim ancestral lands

The Upper Mattaponi Tribe of Virginia is reclaiming 866 acres of ancestral lands along the Mattaponi River.

The river is a tributary to the York River in King William County.

The Tribe is assisted by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (CZM), and funds to acquire the lands are being awarded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through the Infrastructure Law’s Climate Ready Costs initiative.

“This represents a wonderful opportunity for the Tribe to reacquire ancestral land along our beloved Mattaponi River,” Chief W. Frank Adams of the Upper Mattaponi Tribe said.

Virginia CZM is with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and serves as lead agency in the purchase.

“DEQ is proud to be able to work in partnership with the Tribe to preserve these important lands,” DEQ Director Mike Rolband said.

The grant making the purchase possible leverages an additional $630,000 and includes funds provided by the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation, the previous landowner and Tribal contributions. The property contains wetlands, streams, native grasslands and hardwood forest, including more than 11,000 feet of waterfront. The Tribe plans to create a baseline habitat monitoring plan to restore the property.

“Through collaboration between the Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe and the Virginia CZM Program, these 866 acres will be added to the 3,385 acres conserved along the Mattaponi River basin corridor” Virginia CZM Manager Laura McKay said.

A long-term plan for stewardship by the Tribe will include habitat restoration, economic development, and community use and access. Revegetation of a mining area with native plants and restoration of streams on the property will also be possible, as well as exploring the creation of a fish and mussel hatchery to restore culturally significant species and promote its local economy.

“The Upper Mattaponi people will use this property to help in protecting the integrity of the river, which has always been the homeland of the Upper Mattaponi Tribe,” Adams said. “With these efforts we hope to improve water quality, accessibility and preserve threatened cultural sites.”