VCU Rice Center Increases in Size with Land Donation

By Gary Robertson

The Virginia Commonwealth University Rice Center has received a major land gift of approximately 150 acres along the James River that encompasses critical nesting areas for bald eagles and habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna.

The property, part of the Meadowville Tract in eastern Chesterfield County, is a gift of an environmentally conscious group of individuals who form the Meadowville Trust.

Acquisition of the property will increase the size of the VCU Rice Center by nearly half. The center, VCU’s biological field station, is a 343-acre site in Charles City County overlooking the James River, with a primary mission of enhancing science, education and public outreach related to large river ecosystems and their riparian landscapes.

“This remarkable gift expands the reach of the VCU Rice Center as we enter Phase II of our development plan, enriching research and educational opportunities for both faculty and students,” said Thomas F. Huff, Ph.D., VCU’s vice provost for life sciences.

For researchers, the Meadowville Tract provides an extensive area of bottomland hardwood forest that complements the habitats at the Rice Center in Charles City County and opens many new opportunities for research and educational opportunities while preserving critical habitat along the James River.

The Meadowville Tract is situated on the south side of the James River, approximately 20 minutes east of Richmond. The property adjoins Meadowville Landing at River’s Bend, a residential development, and is adjacent to the Meadowville Technology Park.