Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is the newest of four refuges that comprise the Eastern Virginia Rivers National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Established in 1996, the goal of the Refuge is to protect 20,000 acres of wetlands and associated uplands along the River and its major tributaries. As of May 2005, a total of 7,393 acres have been purchased from willing sellers or donated by Refuge partners, including 1,033 acres of conservation easements. With help from our conservation partners, including Chesapeake Bay Foundation, The Conservation Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and The Trust for Public Land, we are well on our way toward achieving our land protections goal.