| Bethel Beach Natural Area Preserve | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
.jpg) Mud flat and forest at Bethel Beach Natural Area Preserve | |
  Location within Virginia  Bethel Beach Natural Area Preserve (the United States) | |
| Location | Mathews County, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 37°24′33″N 76°15′8″W / 37.40917°N 76.25222°W[1] |
| Area | 105 acres (42 ha) |
| Governing body | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Bethel Beach Natural Area Preserve is a 105-acre (42 ha) Natural Area Preserve located in Mathews County, Virginia, near the Chesapeake Bay. It contains beach, low dune, and salt marsh habitats, and provides a haven for rare marsh and colonial nesting birds, The preserve also protects habitat for two globally rare species, the northeastern beach tiger beetle and sea-beach knotweed.[2]
The preserve is owned and maintained by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and is open to the public; however the preserve is largely undeveloped with the exception of a gravel parking area for visitors.[2]
- ^ "Bethel Beach". ProtectedPlanet. United Nations Environment Programme's World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ a b "Bethel Beach Natural Area Preserve". Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved December 13, 2016.