After Centuries Of Draining This Swamp, U.S. Now Wants To Save It

"'Drain the swamp' may be a popular political slogan, but it doesn't always work so well in nature.

In southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge has been dramatically altered over the past few centuries by human development, creating an environment more vulnerable to both floods and wildfires. Now, a federal project is trying to restore some of the swamp's natural habitat and other characteristics through a $3 million effort that aims to reverse some of that damage.

The swamp is a vast wooded area spread out over more than 100,000 acres and populated with eagles, wild turkeys and bears. Refuge Manager Chris Lowie says water used to move more freely here, before humans started building ditches. "

Sarah McCammon reports for NPR's All Things Considered July 3, 2017.