Make A Donation
Help protect the refuge wildlife and their habitats by making a contribution to the Back Bay NWR Society. Support our advocacy, outreach, and education for the betterment of the Refuge.
MISSION
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge Society is the primary partner and Friends group of the the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
Learn MoreVOLUNTEER
Gain new experiences and meet new people while helping to advance wildlife conservation. Preserve and protect habitat and wildlife.
Learn MoreMEMBERSHIP
There are no dues required for Society membership. The Society depends on donations to fund programs and projects.
Learn MoreOutdoor Classroom Updates
Roof installed and seating underway
Outdoor classroom roof is installed. Seating construction is under way. Thank you to all who have given generously to make this project a reality!
Construction continues
Framing is underway
Framing of the outdoor classroom is underway. And the roof has been raised. Thank you to all who have given generously to make this project a reality!
Columns have been poured
Screw piles have been successfully installed
Screw piles have been successfully installed. With minimal noise and no vibration during installation, protecting nearby structures and the environment. And with minimal excavation and site preparation, leaving the surrounding landscape largely undisturbed. Screw pilers are adaptable for diverse soil types, including soft, loose, and high-water-table areas.
Required torque was reached at a depth of about 14’ below grade.
Outdoor classroom excavation is completed
Chris Elam, board member of Back Bay NWR Society and volunteer project architect, RBA Architects at the outdoor classroom excavation.
Outdoor classroom construction is in progress
The outdoor classroom will be used for environmental education programs and the enjoyment of the visiting public.
Construction on the Outdoor Classroom has begun! The society has raised the necessary funds to construct the classroom. Permits have been granted and archaeological approval received. Construction bids have been reviewed, and a builder has been contracted. There is a possibility that some construction materials will be donated freeing up some funding. This is all very exciting!
Thank you to all the individuals and organizations whose donations helped to make this possible! And a special thank you to Hampton Roads Community Foundation, COX Communications and Virginia Natural Gas Foundation. As well as a very special thank you to RBA Architects their volunteers and their student interns for designing the Outdoor Classroom.
Outdoor classroom construction fundraising goal has been met. Construction starts by end of August of this year 2025. Peak Building Corporation has been awarded the construction bid. Fundraising will continue for storage units, and possible cistern water system and wind or solar power. Check back regularly for construction updates.
Projects
CHRONOLOGY
A citizen science project with the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
Refuge visitors upload photographs from their phones at four designated locations. Photographs contribute to scientific documentation of the refuge habitats. By automatically appearing in time-lapse videos that are available online.
LEARN MOREProjects
Gardens
Monarch garden a safe habitat for migrating monarch butterflies
Monarch butterflies have suffered a drastic reduction in population in the last 30 years. Some estimates indicate a population decline of 90%. The most common reason cited for this dramatic decline is loss of habitat. Given the success of the pollinator garden and the fact that Back Bay is on the Monarch’s eastern migratory flyway, it was decided to put in a monarch specific garden at the Refuge.
Pollinator & Monarch garden updates
Pollinator garden an aesthetically pleasing addition to the Visitor Center entrance ways
Volunteers removed and pruned old vegetation, cultivated and amended soil, and filled beds with native plants supporting pollinators and wildlife Garden beds are maintained by volunteers throughout the year. Signage and visitor outreach is being planned
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National recreation trails
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge trails designated National recreation trails
The 2.7 miles of the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge Trail System consists of seven, interconnected trails that provide opportunities to observe the wildlife and vegetation of the refuge’s seven distinct habitats- ocean, beach, marsh, shrubs, grassland, maritime forest and freshwater bay. Trail surfaces vary from boardwalk, crushed stone, sand and gravel.
LEARN MOREBack Bay NWR Society
1324 Sandbridge Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23456
