Plant ES Natives Campaign

Eastern Shore Rail Trail Tree Planting Project

Elaine Meil, Executive Director of the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission (A-NPDC) has announced the award of $90,000 in Virginia Department of Forestry’s Urban and Community Forestry (UC&F) Program funds. The grant will fund the planting of native trees and shrubs along the Treherneville/Birdsnest sections of the Eastern Shore Rail Trail, by a qualified landscape contractor using biochar as a soil amendment. Qualified landscape contractors interested in responding to the request for quotations should call the A-NPDC’s office. Ms. Meil said, “The planting of trees along the Eastern Shore Rail Trail will provide shade, buffer traffic noise and provide wildlife habitat along the Eastern Shore’s first transportation trail.”

The Eastern Shore Rail Trail Foundation (ESRTF) is leading the development of the 49.1-mile Eastern Shore Rail Trail. The trail will transform the former Bay Coast Railroad corridor into a shared-use trail for pedestrians, cyclists, birders and other non-motorized users. Ron Wolff, Executive Director of the ESRTF said, “It is a great partnership working with the A-NPDC and the ESRTF to secure this forestry grant for the planting of trees along the Eastern Shore Rail Trail that will grow and have a long-lasting effect well into the future.”

The Eastern Shore Rail Trail in the Cape Charles area is currently under construction and not yet open to the public. The first segment in Cape Charles is expected to be completed by fall 2026.

Lara Johnson, Urban and Community Forestry Program Manager at the Virginia Department of Forestry, said, “The Virginia Department of Forestry is proud to partner on this local effort with the A-NPDC. Our goal is for everyone to benefit from these trees, whether you help plant them, learn about them online or simply spend time enjoying their shade while visiting the newly developed trail.” Robbie Lewis, the Eastern Shore-area forester, is guiding this project to completion with support from UC&F foresters.

As part of the effort to provide needed shade and dust/sound buffering along the Birdsnest/Treherneville segment of the trail, the A-NPDC received applied and received this grant to use for planting trees and other woody plants, with the use of biochar, a soil amendment which aids in sequestering carbon, along the former rail bed. This area of the tree planting is a significant historic Black community on the Eastern Shore.

The UC&F Program fosters partnerships between government agencies, businesses, academic institutions and nonprofit organizations to ensure trees in our communities receive necessary care, long into the future. Program staff provide assistance including education, community engagement, tree selection, and grants for tree planting and local program development.  These resources and others are available for municipalities and local governments to promote a healthy tree canopy. The USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program directly supports this state program delivered in all 59 states and U.S. territories.

The Benefits of Planting Native Tree and Shrub Species

Click here for the deciduous tree palette, here for the evergreen tree palette and here for the small tree and shrub palette curated by the Urban & Community Forestry Partnership Coordinator at the U&CF Program.  Trees and shrubs on these species lists may be planted on the Eastern Shore Rail Trail, depending on availability and cost at the time of scheduled planting.  A public meeting is being planned for January, 2026, so please keep checking this webpage for updates.

What is Biochar?

Biochar is a carbon-rich, charcoal-like substance made from biomass, such as wood or crop waste, that is produced by heating the material in a low-oxygen environment through a process called pyrolysis. It is used as a soil amendment to improve soil health and moisture retention, and also as a method for carbon sequestration, helping to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The Benefits of Using Biochar

Using biochar in tree plantings improves soil structure, increases water and nutrient retention, and provides a habitat for beneficial microbes, which leads to healthier trees and higher survival rates. It also helps trees become more resilient to drought, pests, and diseases, and contributes to long-term carbon sequestration.

Soil and plant health

• Improves soil structure:Biochar’s porous nature increases soil porosity, which allows for better aeration and drainage, and can alleviate soil compaction.
• Increases water retention:It acts like a sponge, holding onto moisture and making it available to tree roots, which can reduce the need for frequent watering.
• Boosts nutrient retention:Biochar helps prevent nutrients from leaching out of the soil, providing a more stable and long-term supply to the tree.
• Supports beneficial microbes:It creates a favorable environment for beneficial soil microorganisms, important for plant health and disease resistance.
• Increases resilience:Biochar can make trees more resistant to drought, heat, pests, and diseases by improving overall soil conditions and microbial activity.
• Moderates soil conditions:It can help reduce soil acidity, salinity, and the availability of toxic metals.

Long-term benefits

• Increases survival rate:The combination of improved soil and nutrient availability can significantly increase the survival rate of newly planted trees.
• Enhances root growth:A better root environment can lead to faster and more even root establishment, reducing transplant shock.
• Sequestering carbon:Biochar is a stable form of carbon that locks carbon into the soil, preventing its release into the atmosphere and providing a long-term climate benefit.

Whether you want to put in a flower garden or establish or restore the landscape around your home, there are a great variety of Eastern Shore native plants from which to choose!

And you will have made the right choice!

Native plants not only offer many practical, low cost, and environmental benefits they also offer an appealing display of foliage and flowers! Check out the ES Native Plant Guide or the Plant ES Natives Campaign. Visitors can now learn all about the Campaigns at www.PlantVirginiaNatives.org!

ES Native Plants Demonstration Garden Final Report – Wachapreague Seaside Park

The Shore Big Trees program was conceived as an idea to plant the next locally famous big trees within the lifetime of the existing ancient trees on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Curtis Smith, Director of Planning, often reflected on the sycamore dating from the American Revolution that still lives on Back Street in the Town of Accomac. These beautiful big trees won’t always be with us but other big trees can.

The Shore Big Trees program was launched as part of the Plant ES Natives campaign and has received funding from Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program. This includies the tree markers in Accomac and in Wachapreague, where the Water Oak was dedicated as part of a Campaign celebration!

Curtis Smith obtained native plant recommendations from Dot Field, Department of Conservation and Recreation, and Elaine Meil, Executive Director, sourced and planted a white oak grown on the Eastern Shore. On September 12, 2014, a white oak was dedicated on the A-NPDC property, just around the corner from the ancient sycamore, and is now marked with a stone indicating the history of the planting. During the Exmore Annual Earth Day event in the Exmore Town Park, there were several Big Trees planted in 2016 and native honeysuckle trellised in 2017.