Hutchinson and Franklin Tracts

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In 2001, TPL expanded the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge through the acquisition of the 727-acre Hutchinson Tract near Tappahannock, and putting into public hands nearly 700 feet of waterfront and a mixture of open fields, marshland and forests. Some 200 acres were returned to native warm season grasses, drawing over 50 species of birds. The property is within three miles of all three Essex County schools and serves as an outdoor classroom offering opportunities for insect sampling, tree identification, bird watching and water quality testing. Just outside of Warsaw, a 107-acre property that includes a mixture of forest and fields was also protected, creating the Franklin Tract.

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