Contact: Don Loock at 540-522-4222 or dloock[at]pecva.org

Rappahannock County is a rich landscape of rolling and mountainous countryside with farms, historic sites and forested areas. Soils well suited to agriculture and a network of streams and small rivers have made the county one of the most productive farming areas in the Piedmont. The scenic beauty of the county rivals that of any county in Virginia. The western portion of Rappahannock County encompasses part of the ecologically rich eastern flank of the 200,000-acre Shenandoah National Park. The forested uplands and riparian areas in the remainder of the county include high quality natural habitat in the Blue Ridge-Piedmont ecosystem and essential corridors for wildlife migration through the region. Rappahannock County encompasses both the main stem and many of the headwater streams of the upper Rappahannock River, which provides drinking water for a number of growing downstream communities. The county is also rich in historic treasures worthy of protection.

The Threat to Rappahannock County

The scenic beauty, natural features and its proximity to the outskirts of the growing Northern Virginia/DC metro area make Rappahannock County a highly desirable place to live. Retirement, vacation, and second home development pressure, in particular, is intense in the county.

Honoring Dr. Werner Krebser

KFRCC was created by a coalition of local organizations in honor of Dr. Werner Krebser. Dr. Krebser moved to Rappahannock County in 1961 to practice medicine. He served with distinction on the County Planning Commission for 22 years and was a strong voice for protecting Rappahannock's scenic beauty and open spaces. The Krebser Fund was created by the Rappahannock County Conservation Alliance (RCCA) Rappahannock Farmers Association (RFA) Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection (RLEP) and Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC). It will be used to protect selected properties in Rappahannock County through the acquisition of properties and conservation easements.

Structure of the Fund

The Krebser Fund is maintained as a separate account at the Piedmont Foundation, a 509(a)(3) supporting organization with accounts and investment management separate from PEC and its operating accounts. A KFRCC advisory committee, which includes representation from the PEC Board, the Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection (RLEP), the Rappahannock Farmers' Association (RFA), and the Rappahannock County Conservation Association (RCCA) has been established. Acquisitions of land or easements involving KFRCC monies will be limited to Rappahannock County.

Krebser Fund Plays Integral Role in the Protection of Meadow Grove Farm

346 acres of prime farmland on Battle Run have been forever protected from development, thanks to a unique partnership with the Massie family, the Rappahannock County Farmland Preservation Fund, the Krebser Fund, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, and the Piedmont Environmental Council. All of these partners joined to protect Meadow Grove because of the property's remarkable conservation values, including historical resources, drinking water sources, and productive forest and farmland. Read the Press Release.

Support Conservation in Rappahannock County

Gifts to the Fund, which are tax-deductible, are used to secure options on property, to purchase property and/or easements, and to pay or extend no or low interest loans for the legal, due diligence, marketing and other costs directly associated with such transactions.

For more information, contact Don Loock at (540) 987-9441 or dloock[at]pecva.org. Or support the Krebser Fund for Rappahannock County Conservation with an online donation.