VCU's River Campus

The VCU Rice Rivers Center, a part of VCU Life Sciences, supports scholarship and student instruction across diverse disciplines, including water resources, climate science, wildlife conservation and wetlands restoration.

Located midway between Richmond and Williamsburg, Virginia along the historic James River, our 360 acres of riparian marshes, tidal creeks and mature forests represent a unique outdoor laboratory for important applied research and innovative, experiential classes. The center’s modern facilities offer offices, classrooms, laboratories and overnight lodging for students, faculty, visiting scholars and community groups. State-of-the-art technologies are deployed onsite to collect information on air and water quality, fish and avian migrations, changing sea levels and a host of other critical data sources. Our ongoing partnerships with state and federal natural resource and earth science agencies provide significant training opportunities for student scholars.

Science that matters to everyone

News

Casey Johnson (left), a Graduate Student in VCU Life Sciences, assists participating district teachers in stream measurements at the VCU Rice Rivers Center.

April 4, 2024

Rice River Center, Center for Environmental Studies, and School of Education contribute two articles in The Earth Scientist

NOAA B-WET grant partnered VCU with local primary educators for experiential and virtual learning.

Sage Lockett standing in front of his poster presentation

April 3, 2024

Environmental Studies major presents at Association of Southeastern Biologists conference

Sage Lockett’s research was conducted at Rice Rivers Center

A bunch of people are in three rafts on the river rapids.

Dec. 12, 2023

Beyond Boundaries spends Veterans Day weekend at Rice Rivers Center

This is the second year the center has hosted the veterans group.

Research and Restoration

a warbler perched atop someone's hand

VCU researchers and partners study the breeding biology of the prothonotary warbler along the lower James River using the project and its data to explore population genetics, disease and migration ecology, the role of song and plumage in reproductive fitness, and the impact of climate change on diet and timing of breeding.