Adjacent to the bays are mainland farms, woodlands, and marshes which protect the core natural area and the island ecosystem. Appropriate uses in these areas can protect the seaside marshes and estuaries, while providing jobs and economic vitality. The Nature Conservancy has bought and resold with conservation easements several seaside farms. The Conservancy continues its research and planning efforts to improve techniques for seaside farm conservation and compatible sustainable development and to expand the resulting protection. Protection of the core area is science driven.
Research monitors the health of the ecosystem and is one of the major tools of protection.
Research also provides economic benefits by helping to protect and enhance the populations of valuable fish and shellfish. Research facilities create demand for services, housing, and other necessities that benefit the community. The program is one of 17 ecological research programs selected by the National Science Foundation for long-term support. UVA's LTER scientists focus on long-term research that helps form the basis of our understanding of this complex ecosystem. Recently, Old Dominion University and The Nature Conservancy initiated a partnership to create the Virginia Coast Institute, a multidisciplinary research and education facility devoted to the field of sustainable economic development on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.