Cindy Sabato

Protecting a Historic Landscape in Orange County

Protecting a Historic Landscape in Orange County

Within the nationally recognized Madison-Barbour Rural Historic District, near Barboursville in Orange County, William K. “Wik” Dove II partnered with The Piedmont Environmental Council to permanently protect his 108 acres with a conservation easement.

Re-aligning Land and Nature at the Holden Farm in Loudoun County

Re-aligning Land and Nature at the Holden Farm in Loudoun County

In 2021, the Holdens partnered with The Piedmont Environmental Council to permanently conserve their rolling 35-acre farm just south of the historic Quaker village of Lincoln.

In the City or the Country—Public Access to Nature Matters

In the City or the Country—Public Access to Nature Matters

As the pandemic drove many Piedmont residents to seek respite and renewal in natural areas, parks, and trails like never before, it made one thing abundantly clear; we need more, well-distributed public access to parks and green spaces all throughout the region.

Conservation in 2021 bring regional conserved land totals to 25 percent

Conservation in 2021 bring regional conserved land totals to 25 percent

In 2021, private landowners partnered with various land trusts and conservation agencies to permanently protect an additional 6,474 acres of land in Albemarle, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock counties.

Maddensville Historic Site, Civil War Memorial, is dedicated before a crowd of 200 in Culpeper

Maddensville Historic Site, Civil War Memorial, is dedicated before a crowd of 200 in Culpeper

On the stunningly sunny and crystal clear, crisp morning of Saturday, Nov. 6, just ahead of Veteran’s Day, some 200 people from far and wide came together in rural Culpeper County, Virginia to dedicate a new Civil War memorial site honoring three United States Colored Troops killed nearby in 1864 and the contributions of the family of a free Black man, Willis Madden.

New monument to honor United States Colored Troops and African American contributions in Culpeper County

New monument to honor United States Colored Troops and African American contributions in Culpeper County

While a national reckoning with the impacts of long-standing Confederate symbolism has brought about the sweeping removal of many Civil War statues across the commonwealth, at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6, just ahead of Veteran’s Day, a new Civil War monument will rise up in Culpeper County, Virginia. Along Madden’s Tavern Road near the once-booming crossroads of Routes 610 and 724, this granite obelisk will memorialize the ultimate sacrifice of three veterans, United States Colored Troops (USCT) who were captured and executed by 9th Virginia Cavalry troops just 300 yards away on May 8, 1864.