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The Department of Wildlife Resources and Devils Backbone Brewing Company Partner Together to Restore the Wild
Richmond, VA — The Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and Devils Backbone Brewing Company (DBBC) have created a sustainable, long-term partnership by developing a co-branded craft beer that will serve as an additional funding source towards specific agency needs. Proceeds generated from the co-branded beer focus upon increasing participation in outdoor recreation and increasing public land access.
“Our partnership with the Virginia DWR is the natural extension of Devils Backbone’s continued passion for protecting the world around us. $1 from every barrel we brew goes back to our community to conserve the people, animals and planet for the next generation and we’re honored to be a partner helping to keep Virginia’s wild places wild,” Kim Oakley, Marketing Director for Devils Backbone Brewing Company.
The project, which falls under the DWR initiative “Restore the Wild,” intends to restore native grass/wildflower habitat on the James River WMA. This specific project deals with habitat conversion and Autumn Olive mitigation with restoration to native grass/wildflowers on approximately 50 acres of lowland in the James River Wildlife Management Area in Nelson County. The project area includes open land, early successional habitat, wetlands, and oak understory.
Autumn Olive will also be treated and removed from the Oak stand understory and successive treatments and prescribed burning will be required. There is a wetland protection area in the center of the project area that will be preserved and the plan is to be fluid and adapt to changing conditions, and vegetation responses to management activities as the project progresses.
“This partnership was the vision of Steve Crandall, a lifelong conservationist and wildlife enthusiast, who we lost too soon earlier this year,” said Ryan Brown, Executive Director of DWR. “This year’s project enabled habitat improvements that otherwise would not have occurred in the region of the state that Steve knew well and loved, and stands as one of many tributes to his legacy.”
The “Restore the Wild” initiative‘s mission to ensure wildlife has healthy places to live and thrive. The initiative, which is part of a membership program, will help support projects across the state designed to restore and create wildlife habitat vital for their survival.
The Department is grateful to Steve Crandall and Family, Devils Backbone Brewing Company, and the many staff and partners who have made this possible. For more information on the Restore the Wild, please visit Restore the Wild.