To the Editor:

What a great county Isle of Wight is for taking the initiative of purchasing and protecting over 2,500 acres of wetlands in the Blackwater Watershed. This land purchase, including over five miles of shoreline, is a great step toward protecting this remarkable and unique tract of land from development and destruction. Supervisor Phillip Bradshaw is to be commended for all the work he has done to promote this purchase.

The Nature Conservancy will be a great steward of this land. This purchase and other land along and around the river that are in the hands of the TNC will ensure that the area will be around for generations to enjoy.

It will also fit in perfectly with the upcoming designation of 56 miles of the river becoming a Virginia Scenic River. Preserving the integrity of these wetlands will also help greatly in keeping flooding from getting any worse. In fact it is about the best and only way left for us to mitigate the flood issue.

If we could protect more wetlands around the upper river, keep logging out of the swamps and put destroyed wetlands back into their natural role, we would indeed be well on our way to ensuring the livelihood of the river and the communities that live along its shore.

Jeff Turner

Sedley