The Goodwin Islands are a 315 ha (780 acres) archipelago of uninhabited salt marsh islands off the coast of York County, Virginia, at the mouth of the York River in Chesapeake Bay.[1] They are owned by the College of William & Mary and are managed on the college's behalf by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.[2] The sole means of transportation to the Goodwin Islands is by boat, with permission being required to perform certain activities.[2]
 Image of the Goodwin Islands | |
  Goodwin Islands  Goodwin Islands | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | York River east of Seaford |
| Coordinates | 37°13′00″N 076°24′00″W / 37.21667°N 76.40000°W |
| Area | 1.21 sq mi (3.1 km2) |
| Administration | |
United States | |
| State | Virginia |
| County | York County |
The islands and their surrounding waters are home to many birds and fish, such as the mummichog.[3] Primary ecological community groups are situated on the islands, such as tidal meso-polyhaline marshes, maritime dune grasslands, salt scrub, and maritime upland forest.[2] Salt marsh vegetation throughout the island primarily consists of salt marsh cordgrass and salt meadow hay.[2] Shrub vegetation is dominant at forested wet land ridges.[2] The upland ridges of the largest island in the archipelago are home to oak and pine tree species.[2] Tides in the waters of the Goodwin Islands are semi-diurnal.[2]
Climate change has posed a significant threat to the islands, with shoreline erosion from storms frequently occurring and impacting local species.[1] A water monitoring program and a biological monitoring program have been active since 1997.[2]
The Goodwin Islands are observed to harbor prehistoric and historic resources; however, an official archaeological survey has not been conducted.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b Fisheries, NOAA (2023-10-23). "Monitoring Island Health in the Chesapeake Bay | NOAA Fisheries". NOAA. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "The Goodwin Islands". Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ Ayers, Lisa Ann, "Finfish Communities of Two Intertidal Marshes of the Goodwin Islands, York River, Virginia" (1995). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. William & Mary. Paper 1539617679.
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