The many recent honors on the death of former US Senator John Warner are rightly aimed at superlatives. Senator Warner has been described as an “unsurpassed leader,” “giant,” and “dear friend.” To me he was all that and more. His reputation as a political loner was well documented in these articles. He was someone whose litmus test for taking a stand was his conscience – and his loyalty to the country, not the party. His family life, military service, appointment as Naval Cabinet Secretary, and five terms as an influential and respected U.S. Senator have all been well covered. Surprisingly, however, Senator Warner’s credentials as one of Virginia’s foremost conservationists received little attention.
Senator John Warner advocated conservation issues in the Chesapeake region, particularly along the Rappahannock River in Virginia. (Courtesy of the Chesapeake Conservancy)
As a Senator, he was instrumental in establishing Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park in the Shenandoah Valley. He helped legislate to create and fund the Chesapeake Bay Program and was instrumental in creating the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, our country’s first waterway. Sometimes referred to simply as the Chesapeake Trail, it spans thousands of miles of the bay and its tributaries, highlighting the explorer’s journeys and the indigenous cultures that Smith encountered in the early 17th century.
Senator Warner was particularly fond of the Rappahannock River. He spoke of personally moving migratory fish from below the Embrey Dam near Fredericksburg and releasing them above the dam so they can reach their spawning grounds upstream. Perhaps that was what led him to raise $ 10 million to demolish the same dam in 2004 – as part of a military exercise. The removal of the dam opened up more than 160 kilometers of spawning habitat for American allis shad, striped bass, American eel and other migratory fish species.
In the late 1990s, the Senator campaigned for the newly established Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge by helping secure its first sanctuary grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The vast area set aside for the acquisition of refuge was new for its time; It spans seven counties and includes more than 60 miles of the coast of the Rappahannock River. Today, thanks to early advocates like Senator Warner, visitors can hike trails, launch canoes and kayaks, fish and hunt, and enjoy the abundance of wildlife.
His efforts for the Rappahannock River and its eponymous refuge went well beyond his 30-year tenure in the Senate. He was intrigued by the convergence of bald eagles along the Rappahannock River, especially in places like the Fones Cliffs, a 4 mile long formation along the tidal section of the river in Richmond County. The forested cliffs reach heights of 80 to 100 feet above the river and are made of diatomite, which was formed millions of years ago. The Chesapeake Bay bald eagles have a burgeoning breeding population along the Rappahannock, but what makes the area even more special is that it is an exceptionally popular stop for migratory eagles that fly north in the spring and south in the fall. It is a unique phenomenon in the Chesapeake Bay.
The Senator was determined to save this special place and his commitment never let up. His daughter Virginia joined him in the endeavor when she funded the purchase of an acre of land near Fones Cliffs that the Chesapeake Conservancy then donated to the Rappahannock tribe, the indigenous people after whom the river was named. For the tribe, this modest acquisition marked a formal return to the riverside after more than 350 years of absence. John and Virginia Warner were guests of the tribe at a celebration of the event in 2017.
We were honored that Senator Warner agreed to serve on the Chesapeake Conservancy’s board of directors for many years and to remain an honorary director until his death in May. In 2016 he was awarded the Conservancy’s Champions of the Chesapeake Award. During his acceptance speech, the Senator said of efforts to protect Fones Cliffs: “Like many of you, this is a place I would like to see preserved for future generations. In fact, I said [the conservancy] that this would be one of my signature efforts. This is just as important to me as my work to get rid of the embryonic dam, also along the Rappahannock, which has deprived many species of the possibility of migration upstream. Well, we did it. Embry dam is gone. And we can do that now. “
Rest in peace, Mr. Senator. You did your part; We will go on.
Joel Dunn is President and CEO of the Chesapeake Conservancy. The original version of this article appeared in the June 8th issue of the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star and is reprinted here with permission.
Opinion columnists’ views are not necessarily those of the Bay Journal.