![]() Image of the Goodwin Islands | |
Geography | |
---|---|
Location | York River east of Seaford |
Coordinates | 37°13′00″N 076°24′00″W / 37.21667°N 76.40000°W |
Area | 1.21 sq mi (3.1 km2) |
Administration | |
United States | |
State | Virginia |
County | York County |
The Goodwin Islands are a 315 ha (780 acres) archipelago of uninhabited salt marsh islands off the coast of York County, Virginia, at the mouth of the York River in Chesapeake Bay.[1] They are owned by the College of William & Mary and are managed on the college's behalf by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.[2] The sole means of transportation to the Goodwin Islands is by boat, with permission being required to perform certain activities.[2]
The islands and their surrounding waters are home to many birds and fish, such as the mummichog.[3] Primary ecological community groups are situated on the islands, such as tidal meso-polyhaline marshes, maritime dune grasslands, salt scrub, and maritime upland forest.[2] Salt marsh vegetation throughout the island primarily consists of salt marsh cordgrass and salt meadow hay.[2] Shrub vegetation is dominant at forested wet land ridges.[2] The upland ridges of the largest island in the archipelago are home to oak and pine tree species.[2] Tides in the waters of the Goodwin Islands are semi-diurnal.[2]
Climate change has posed a significant threat to the islands, with shoreline erosion from storms frequently occurring and impacting local species.[1] A water monitoring program and a biological monitoring program have been active since 1997.[2]
The Goodwin Islands are observed to harbor prehistoric and historic resources; however, an official archaeological survey has not been conducted.[2]