Neabsco Creek Boardwalk is a part of Neabsco Regional Park in Woodbridge, VA. This ¾ mile boardwalk allows visitors the opportunity to cross Neabsco Creek and access the wetlands in the area. Wetlands such as these are home to a variety of plants and animals, and nearly all of them need the wetlands to survive.

The marshes at Neabsco are home to animals such as the great blue heron, muskrats, raccoons, northern water snakes, diamondback terrapin, and even a variety of crustaceans such as the marsh crab. Killifish, mummichog, and many other fish swim through the waters here. Plants include the marsh hibiscus, narrow-leaved cattail, and many others.

Because of the variety of wildlife, Neabsco Creek Boardwalk is part of Neabsco Regional Park and the Potomac Heritage Scenic Trail, an 800-mile network of trails from Pennsylvania through Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia.

Why Is the Marsh Important?

If you don’t know much about marshes, they’re wetlands. Water covers the area, but not as deeply as a lake or river. Marshes are different from swamps because of the native plant life; trees are sparse in a marsh, but swamps are mostly covered by trees. The soil in both marshes and swamps is rich because of sediment settling from the water. This makes these areas a place where water-loving plants can flourish, and that means animals are also attracted to the area because of the rich and varied plant life.

Wetlands not only provide a home for many plants and animals, but they help slow storms such as hurricanes, absorbing water that would otherwise end up destroying inland areas. These water-covered areas are vital for many reasons.

How Does Top Down Construction Help?

Our primary reason for using top down construction is to eliminate unnecessary destruction of sensitive areas, like the marshes at Neabsco Creek.  Building a boardwalk – or any other structure – this way lets us use minimal equipment. The equipment stays on the boardwalk as we build; we don’t need to clearcut a wide swath of land in order to begin boardwalk construction. We only clear what is absolutely necessary for the boardwalk. Other companies clear a wide area that destroys plants along the way.

Nature Bridges is able to preserve wetlands because of the unique method of building. In addition, the boardwalk helps give people a way to walk through and learn about the environment without trampling the vital plants in the area. The Neabsco Creek Boardwalk is built to learn, including two observation decks, three overlooks, and many educational opportunities. See Nature Bridges’ preservation philosophy at work by taking a stroll on the Neabsco Creek Boardwalk or even taking one of the birdwatching or other classes offered.