Virginia moves refuge parking lot 2.5 miles so dunes and saltmarsh can return
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is relocating its beach facilities to a more secure northern position following significant storm damage. This proactive approach not only aims to cut future repair costs but also accommodates the natural shifts of the island. While new parking arrangements will be established, the former site will transition back into its native ecosystem.
In 2015, a severe storm devastated a recreational beach parking lot at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia, exposing the challenges of maintaining visitor facilities on a shifting barrier island. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is now relocating the parking facilities and recreational beach about 2.5 miles north to a more stable location.
This project aims to reduce storm repair costs and allow the old developed area to revert to natural beach, dune and saltmarsh habitats. The relocation takes advantage of Assateague Island's natural movement toward the mainland at a rate of 10 to 13 feet per year, with major storms accelerating the process. The old site will be allowed to return to natural conditions, providing habitat for threatened and at-risk species and offering increased protection from future storms. Construction began in 2025, with the new site expected to open in spring 2027.
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