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State forest in Virginia, United States
Charlotte State Forest
is a 5,688-acre (23.02 km
2
)
state forest
located in
Charlotte County, Virginia
near the town of
Drakes Branch
.
History
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The forest was formerly owned by
Thomas B. Stanley
, governor of the
Commonwealth of Virginia
from 1954 to 1958. Prior to its acquisition by
The Conservation Fund
in 2019, the land was owned by the Stanley Land and Lumber Corporation, which harvested timber to make furniture.
[1]
It was transferred from The Conservation Fund to the
Virginia Department of Forestry
(VDOF) in late 2020 and officially dedicated as a state forest by Governor
Ralph Northam
on 4 November 2021.
[2]
Description
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Located off Saxkey Road, a
Virginia Scenic Byway
, the area includes portions along 13 miles of the
Roanoke Creek
and
Wards Ford Creek
, tributaries of the
Roanoke River
. The forest offers critical habitat for the endangered northern long-eared bat (
Myotis septentrionalis
) and the
riparian
areas provide undisturbed nesting and foraging habitat for
waterfowl
. Traditional outdoor recreation activities such as hiking, fishing, and birdwatching are available for visitors. The forest will continue to be sustainably harvested for timber.
[1]
See also
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References
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External links
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