Following is a joint press release originally announced by the Trust for Public Land.
Today, the Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia are officially owners of 870-acres of their ancestral homeland along the Rappahannock River.
The property, situated along the Rappahannock River, Route 17, and Route 2 in Spotsylvania and Caroline Counties, was donated to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in the 1970s and TNC has been focused on partnering with Native American tribes and other Indigenous peoples to broaden stewardship of ancestral homelands.
The tribe will be the permanent stewards of the property going forward, with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) holding a conservation easement on the land. The property contains significant natural heritage resources, including forest lands, as well as river shoreline, stream systems, and significant wetlands all of which are important habitat necessary for the survival of many species of wildlife.
“Today marks a watershed moment in the modern history of the Patawomeck people as we officially take on the sacred responsibility of stewarding this land where our ancestors once trod,” said Chief Charles Bullock. “This property will be instrumental in maintaining our traditional cultural practices and instilling a deep connection to the lands and waters of our home within future generations of our citizens. We have been delighted to work with our partners at TNC, TPL, and VOF in this process.”
Trust for Public Land (TPL) secured a North American Wetlands Act Grant through the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as well as a grant from VOF’s Preservation Trust Fund and worked creatively with TNC and the Patawomeck Tribe to deploy these funding resources to support the transition of the land and its future stewardship by the tribe.
“We believe that every tribe should have a homeland where they can receive the benefits of access to nature, the outdoors, and their culture,” said Lynda Frost, Senior Project Manager for Trust for Public Land in Virginia. “We are honored to work alongside the Patawomeck Tribe to ensure the preservation of sacred lands for future generations.”
“We are proud to support the Patawomeck Tribe in their ownership and stewardship of these important ancestral lands and waters and are humbled to work with our tribal partners and others to ensure a future where all people, communities and nature thrive,” said Bettina Ring, State Director of Virginia TNC.
Following the tribe’s recent establishment of a museum and cultural center, the work here represents the first opportunity for the Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia to own and steward land within their ancestral territory.
The tribe received recognition from the Commonwealth of Virginia in 2010 and is currently working to receive federal recognition from the US government. Federal recognition would give the tribe authority over their ancestral land, help preserve cultural traditions and give access to additional resources offered by the government to federally recognized tribes.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to work with the Patawomeck Tribe in stewarding these ancestral lands,” said VOF Executive Director Brett Glymph. “We look forward to strengthening this partnership and ensuring that the tribe’s rich heritage is preserved.”
Since 1997, TPL has worked with more than 70 tribes and Native groups to protect homelands and culturally significant places such as ancestral burial grounds, fishing sites, and lands that supply traditional foods and medicines. Through these efforts, TPL has helped protect or return more than 200,000 acres of land to Native Americans and Native Hawaiians.
About the Patawomeck Tribe
The Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia is one of 11 state recognized tribes in the Commonwealth. To maintain their community and traditions, the tribe’s mission is to preserve, protect, and perpetuate their history and culture and, in so doing, to positively impact, educate, and engage the broader community.
About Trust for Public Land
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,504 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, and raised $110 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 9.7 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.
About The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, TNC creates innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. TNC is tackling climate change, conserving oceans, lands, and freshwater, and providing food and water sustainably. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 81 countries and territories, through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit nature.org.
About the Virginia Outdoors Foundation
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation was established by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1966 to preserve open space for future generations. To learn more about VOF’s conservation work and grant programs, please visit www.vof.org.
