In November 2008, the Virginia Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) purchased 4,188 acres of working forest and environmentally sensitive lands in the Dragon Run watershed from the Hancock Timber Resource Group. These same lands were transferred over to the Commonwealth of Virginia in May 2009. One of the "most ecologically important watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay" according to the Smithsonian Institution, Dragon Run includes the northern-most tidal cypress swamp community in the world. The Dragon, a blackwater system, is part of the largest unfragmented forest block in the Chesapeake Bay, and has served as a demonstration site for effective conservation strategies which may be replicated at other priority sites. Ninety bird species, such as bald eagles and prothonotary warblers, are found in the area, along with 55 species of fish. The waters provide vital nurseries for perch, rockfish, and alewives, which are important for Chesapeake commercial fishermen and sportsmen. These lands will continue to be managed through sustainable forest management practices and available for public use forever.