The Nansemond River is sick. What can we do? NRPA has started The Suffolk Nature Project to empower Suffolk citizens to restore our local environment from their own back yard! The Suffolk Nature Project is a community initiative aimed at improving the water quality of the Nansemond River and enhancing local ecosystems through citizen-led efforts in conservation, native planting, and green infrastructure. This project fosters collaboration between residents, environmental experts, and local organizations to restore the watershed, create sustainable landscapes, and ensure a healthier environment for future generations.

The Suffolk Nature Project

NRPA Programs Engage & Educate

We are now facing the second generation of youth raised inside. NRPA The has two main programs to engage our community. Our Environmental Education Program reaches thousands of Suffolk students each year. The Suffolk Nature Project aims to get every citizen engaged in the outdoors, native planting and shoreline restoration. GO OUTSIDE! Enjoy nature and the beauty of our local environment. NRPA is partnering with Homegrown National Park and many other state and local partners to provide free resources, workshops, volunteer projects and plant guides for residents to learn more about biodiversity, key species of plants, bugs, and aquaculture that drive life in our local environment including; rain gardens, buffer strips, and pollinator habitats using native plants.

Become a Member

Becoming a member of NRPA means joining a community of local citizens who care about our our local environment— the Nansemond River, Bennett’s Creek, and Chuckatuck Creek. Your membership strengthens our collective voice in advocating for clean water, healthy ecosystems, and sustainable growth across Suffolk.

Membership funds support hands-on education for local students, citizen science programs, shoreline restoration, oyster reef building, and native habitat projects that bring life back to our creeks and marshes. Together, we are One Community, One Watershed.
Join NRPA and be part of restoring the River that connects us all.

Volunteer

We hope to empower Suffolk citizens to take action in the community. Volunteers are the heart of NRPA’s mission — restoring waterways, planting natives, educating youth, and protecting the river we all share. Every hour you give helps create a cleaner, healthier, and more connected community.