Turning a Mitigation Challenge into Lasting Cultural Conservation

In 2017, a proposed transmission line by Dominion Energy threatened to impact culturally and historically significant sites along the James River in Virginia, including areas eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.  

Consultation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, led by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, identified potential adverse effects from the project and determined that meaningful mitigation was needed to protect these irreplaceable resources.  

Dominion brought in The Conservation Fund to manage mitigation funds and help turn this challenge into a lasting conservation opportunity for the community. Together with Dominion and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, we acquired 643 acres of land along the neighboring York River and transformed it into Virginia’s 40th state park: Machicomoco State Park.  

Named for the Algonquian word meaning “special meeting place,” the park preserves the history of Werowocomoco, the historic capital of the Powhatan Confederacy, while providing space for public recreation and education. Today, Machicomoco State Park offers interpretive trails and facilities that celebrate Native American heritage, increase public access to the river and surrounding lands, and support local tourism and community engagement.