Updates

2025 was a tumultuous year for Virginia’s wetlands policy. From federal policy, to state policy, to local issues, Virginia has been grappling with the task of managing “no net wetland loss” in the face of increased development and climate change impacts.

This series--Wetlands Policy in Review: 2025--will unpack the mitigation debates that defined the year. We will start with the legal and policy basics, then move to the projects, guidance updates, and the contested standards that revealed how challenging “no net loss” can be in practice.

The Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF) Round 6 delivers a substantial new infusion of support to local flood resilience across Virginia, with $99 million awarded to help localities move from risk assessment, through planning, and into implementation. The CFPF, in practical terms, is an engine for turning scientific insights and data-driven design into actual community protection.

The challenge: the Fund’s real impact will be determined downstream in local capacity: will CFPF dollars reach the places most at risk, or the places best equipped to apply?

The newly revised Native Plants for Southeast Virginia is now available as part of the Plant Hampton Roads (HR) Natives campaign. The 72-page, full-color guide features native plant profiles, curated plant lists for specific growing conditions, and a regional list of local sites that highlight native plants and plant communities. It is available as a free digital download.

High school artists from across Virginia brought sea level rise and coastal flooding into view through visual and recorded performative work—grounded in recognizable places and the realities of higher water—as part of the Tides of Tomorrow: Jane Brinkley Thumm Memorial Arts Contest. We’re proud to celebrate this year’s winners and every student who participated. Visit the web gallery to see the winning entries and the full set of submissions. Thanks to all who applied!

We’re excited to welcome Perry Verge to Wetlands Watch as our new Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) Virginia Coordinator. Perry brings a thoughtful mix of technical skill, practical judgment, and an easy way of working with people to the position. As CBLP expands across the Commonwealth, Perry will help deliver professional trainings, uphold program standards, and strengthen the practitioner relationships that keep the program strong.