We asked you to pick your favorite photos in four different categories: Local Farms and Food, Native Plants and Wildlife, Beautiful Landscapes and the Youth Category. Congrats to Joyce Harman, Susan Tucker, Jack Hardie and Becca Pizmoht for their respective category wins!
Marco Sanchez
McCarthy, John
John W. McCarthy joined PEC staff in January 2017. John retired from local government in June of 2016 after 28 years as Rappahannock County Administrator.
Thumb Run Wildlife Habitat Corridor Project
In June 2012, PEC received a grant from The Volgenau Foundation to improve wildlife habitat in the northwestern region of Fauquier County. This project area is geographically defined by the Thumb Run watershed; all water in the region drains into Thumb Run and eventually the Rappahannock River. Wildlife habitat improvement goals for this project align with state priority wildlife species including: early successional song birds, pollinators, fresh water aquatic species such as mussels, amphibians, and more. Improving the connectivity of habitat “corridors” such as riparian buffers is a key focus of the project. Habitat practices that have other environmental benefits such as improved water quality are also of high priority. Get involved!
Barboursville Village Overlay District Needs More Public Input
The following email alert was sent out on August 29, 2016 regarding proposed design standards for development in Barboursville:
Madison’s Mountain Heritage: An Open House at Graves Chapel
On April 16, 2016, Piedmont Environmental Council hosted our fifth annual mountain heritage celebration at Graves Chapel in Graves Mill, Virginia. Nearly 300 attended over the course of the day – visitors learned about the rich culture and traditions of the families that once called these mountains home. Many even walked the trails through Shenandoah National Park to see some of these former home sites in person. It was a wonderful day, filled with music, memories, and a renewed appreciation for the Blue Ridge Mountain heritage. Thank you to all who took part!
Graves Mill historic sites map >>
Please consider becoming a PEC member or renewing your membership to help make events like this one possible!
The Conservation Learning Circle
Nearly a third of the nation’s farmland—301 million acres of U.S. land—is now farmed or co-farmed by women. Some are new farmers and others have inherited family land they farm themselves or lease out to neighboring farmers. Over the next two decades, the American Farmland Trust estimates that 240 million acres of farmland are expected to change owners as aging farmers retire or leave their land to the next generation. Many of these new owners, with some estimations up to 75 percent, will be women.
Trees Planted, Smiling Faces
In partnership with Sugarland Run HOA, the Broadlands HOA, the Red Cedar HOA and Loudoun County Government, we’ve finished planting 3.26+ acres, 968 native trees and shrubs, in three Loudoun Communities.
Thank you to our wonderful volunteers and involved communities for helping Loudoun streams, our local environment and the Chesapeake Bay! Thanks also to grants from The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Fairfax Water, and generous in-kind support by Heritage Landscape Services, LLC and Premier Turf and Landscaping.
11/20/15: Update on Warrenton-Wheeler Transmission Line Case
For those of you following the Warrenton-Wheeler transmission line, we have some good news. The Hearing Examiner has recommend the “C” route, which was Dominion’s (and our) preferred route, and the route that required the smallest amount of new right-of-way.
The hearing examiner turned down the SCC staff route recommendation, known as “Option A” which would have required a line straight across undeveloped parts of Fauquier County.
Great quote: “This attempt fails because its witness makes assertions unsupported by knowledge or analysis”.
We’ve posted the Examiner’s full report – Part I and Part II.
2015 Photo Contest Winners & Finalists
We asked you to pick your favorite photos in four different categories: Local Farms and Food, Native Plants and Wildlife, Beautiful Landscapes and the Youth Category. Congrats to Bridget Bryant, Denise Machado, Wellington Selden and Jack Hardie for their respective category wins!
Buy Fresh Buy Local Holiday Guides
Our 2015 Buy Fresh Buy Local Holiday Guides are ready to download. The guide features businesses that produce locally grown Christmas trees & decorations and holiday foods (produce, meat, dairy, eggs and specialty foods) in the Charlottesville and Northern Piedmont Area! To search for more local food, visit buylocalvirginia.org.