Email from November 21, 2013: ….yesterday, we joined with more than a dozen prominent conservation organizations — including the National Wildlife Federation, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, and the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club — in submitting a joint letter to Governor-Elect Terry McAuliffe. The letter points to the Bi-County Parkway as the project in Northern Virginia that would have the largest negative impact on the environment….
Marco Sanchez
Busy October — Including an Important Comp Plan Rewrite
Happy Friday! It's officially fall, and there's a lot going on throughout the region and in Fauquier County in particular. There are rezonings and zoning amendments under consideration, we've also got tabling at Fauquier Heritage Day in Warrenton this weekend, Outer Beltway public hearings next week, and PEC's Meeting at Galemont on October 12th (the online registration is up!), as well as the 15th Anniversary of the Warrenton Branch Greenway. This text was taken from an email alert sent out on September 27th, 2013.
Trump Tees Up New Plan for Albemarle’s Countryside
In late September 2013, Donald Trump’s Trump Virginia Acquisitions LLC submitted a plan to develop a property in the Albemarle County Rural Area south of Monticello. They want to develop the property — which is protected by a conservation easement — into a commercial golf course called the Trump National Golf Club. We have major concerns about its potential impacts on the surrounding community.
Expanding Beef Cattle Profitability in VA’s Northern Piedmont
Currently:
• Most weaned and backgrounded calves leave the state for fattening in out-of-state feedlots.
• A small percentage of calves are kept as stockers before shipping to out-of-state feedlots.
• Most cow-calf operations take commodity price. Some buyers pay premiums.
• Beef returns as “boxed beef” for retail to metro-consumers. Value/revenue is lost out-of-state.
A small percentage (<10%) of the region’s farms and cattle are conception-to-carcass operations that direct market beef (mostly pasture raised or grass-fed) at a premium to consumers. They process beef (usually one or two at a time) at one of six custom facilities. These producers are seeking additional slaughter and processing capacity.
Pastures in the region are currently underutilized with gains at about 1 lb/day.
Efficiencies in cattle and pasture management, grazing, and transit, processing, even paperwork could increase returns to producers and the region. Processing and sales volumes could greatly increase. Additional acreage would be employed in grazing cattle retained in the region. Total returns to the regional economy would increase.
Fall !
This is my kind of weather! Red maples turn their namesake, broad wing hawks and other raptor migrate south, white-tailed deer enter the rut, and so many more fun things. Speaking of deer, here's a copy of a recent article I wrote on deer abundance and wildlife habitat. This text was taken from an email sent out on September 20th, 2013:
Sacrificing History… For What?
Often environmentalists are told that we just 'say no' to things. To which I would argue — saying 'no' to a bad idea is a very important part of what we do. But it's not all we do. At The Piedmont Environmental Council we also strive to put forward constructive alternatives. That's why it's so frustrating to see the Virginia Department of Transportation, led by Sean Connaughton, make mega-projects like the Outer Beltway and Charlottesville Bypass its highest priority. Despite great arguments against both projects — fiscal, environmental, common sense arguments — and plenty of alternatives, VDOT is charging ahead. This text is from an email alert sent out on September 19, 2013:
Battle Maps
Full resolution maps of days one and two of the battle can be found by clicking on the maps embedded on this page.
Oh Deer!
Fall is a busy time for wildlife in the Piedmont, particularly for mammals as they rush to prepare for the coming winter – storing food caches, finding mates, and burrowing den sites. During this time, white-tailed deer enter “the rut”: hormones rage, antlers grow, and males seek out females. Historically, it’s this time of year when you’re most likely to see deer, especially as bucks pursue does and the does play coy. Today, however, you are very likely to encounter deer any time of year — not just during the rut.
Conservation Easements in Culpeper
Virginia’s Piedmont is a unique place with exceptional natural resources, productive farms and forests, and a landscape steeped in history. The farms and forests in Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District’s five-county region are vital to the financial well-being of the regional and state economy, and each year hundreds of thousands of tourists come to experience our natural wonders and historic heritage. This article was written for the Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District’s Spring 2013 newsletter.
A Season Full of Activity
I hope you’re enjoying the delightfully cool spring. Personally, I’ll take all the cool weather I can get before the dog days of summer hit. Any cicadas in your neck of the woods? We'll see if the cool weather means that Brood 2 Cicadas will persist longer than usual. Check out this wonderful video on the life cycle of these fascinating creatures. This text was taken from an email sent out on June 6th, 2013: