Cherry Orchard Bog Natural Area Preserve, Protected wetland area in Sussex and Prince George counties, Virginia.
Cherry Orchard Bog Natural Area Preserve covers 354 acres and contains seepage wetlands where groundwater rises to the surface at stream heads, creating unique conditions for specialized plant communities. These wetlands form where underground water sources emerge naturally from the ground.
Industrial loblolly pine plantations once covered this land until restoration efforts started in 2014. The goal was to return it to natural longleaf pine communities, restoring the original ecosystem.
Rare plants like camass, bog-buttons, fringed orchids, and purple pitcher plants grow in their natural state here on the Virginia coastal plain.
You need to contact a state land steward before visiting this preserve since it has no public facilities and may close temporarily for controlled burns. Planning ahead ensures you can actually access the area when you want to visit.
A power line corridor actually helps preserve this wetland because the maintenance work clears shade, creating ideal conditions for light-loving plants that would otherwise struggle. This unexpected partnership between infrastructure and nature shows how human systems can accidentally support ecosystems.
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