House Passes Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area Act

The Wilderness Society celebrates the U.S. House of Representatives passage of the Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area Act (H.R. 1154) today with a vote of 391-36. The legislation is a bipartisan bill directing the Secretary of the Interior to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating the Dismal Swamp and its associated sites as a National Heritage Area. 

“The Great Dismal Swamp is one of the most ecologically and historically significant areas on the east coast. In addition to being the ancestral homeland of the Nansemond Indian Nation and the historic lands of the Haliwa-Saponi and Meherrin Tribes, the Great Dismal Swamp contains one of the only water-based stops on the Underground Railroad,” said Jill Gottesman, Southeast Senior Manager at The Wilderness Society.

“It provides clean air and water, and a National Wildlife Refuge that preserves an entire wetland ecosystem. As we work to protect 30% of the nation’s land and waters over the next decade, we recognize the importance of the Great Dismal Swamp for its biodiversity, the communities who maintain a close connection with the landscape, and the role it has played in our country’s history. We are enthusiastic to see that this legislation passed.”

The following statement is from the Great Dismal Swamp Stakeholder Collaborative Leadership Team, and can be attributed to Elder Benjamin Keeling, Chief Emeritus Sam Bass, Heather Barlow, and Alexa Sutton Lawrence:

“The Great Dismal Swamp Stakeholder Collaborative is thrilled to see the  U.S. House of Representatives passage of the Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area Act (H.R. 1154). As a grassroots group of citizens and organizations representing over 35 organizations and communities invested in preserving the unique history and ecology of the Dismal Swamp as a refuge for wildlife and people, we believe that this legislation recognizes not only the importance of the Dismal Swamp as it is now, but also the role it has played in our history as a community and a country.”

National Heritage Areas (NHAs) are sites designated by Congress to hold historical, cultural and environmental significance to the American people that tell important stories celebrating our nation’s diverse heritage. This designation does not affect private property rights. Studies by the National Park Service have shown that National Heritage Areas provide billions of dollars in economic benefits to communities via revenue from tourism, local jobs, federal investments and private philanthropy while also elevating the history and culture of the region. 

Should the Dismal Swamp be designated an NHA, it will contribute to the first ever national conservation goal of protecting 30% of U.S. lands, waters and ocean by 2030. Within the swamp’s bounds, The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is the largest intact remnant of a habitat that once covered more than one million acres of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina.

The Wilderness Society thanks Representatives A. Donald MacEachin (VA), G.K. Butterfield (NC), Greg Murphy (NC), Elaine Luria (VA), and Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA) for their efforts to designate the Dismal Swamp as a National Heritage Area. In doing so, congress is taking important steps to address the climate crises, inequitable access to nature, and loss of biodiversity; which affect public health, clean air, fresh water and food supplies and quality of life nationwide.

CONTACT: 
Jen Parravani, Communications Manager
jen_parravani@tws.org
(202) 601-1931