Last year, landowners partnered with The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) and other land trusts and conservation agencies to permanently protect 6,651 acres of land in Albemarle, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Orange and Rappahannock counties.
PEC
![Eleven properties protected in Albemarle County](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/meechums_river_birdsall_property_october_2021-11-1024x555.jpg)
Eleven properties protected in Albemarle County
With over 1,700 acres of land protected this past year and 111,305 total acres conserved, Albemarle now has more lands under conservation easements than any other locality in the Commonwealth.
![SELC & PEC Joint Letter to Orange County Planning Commission](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/SELC-PEC-joint-letter-screenshot-2023.png)
SELC & PEC Joint Letter to Orange County Planning Commission
Read our joint letter with the Southern Environmental Law Center in advance of the Orange County Planning Commission’s third work session on REZ 22-03, Wilderness Crossing.
While the applicant’s current proffer language agreeing to ‘enter’ DEQ’s Voluntary Remediation Program represents some positive movement (as recently as September, the applicant was stating publicly that they have “no knowledge” of contaminants on site), PEC and our partners at SELC believe this language does not go far enough to ensure that the contaminated site will be cleaned up.
![Wilderness Battlefield Coalition Letter to Orange County Planning Commission](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/Wilderness-Coalition-joint-letter-screenshot-2023.png)
Wilderness Battlefield Coalition Letter to Orange County Planning Commission
Read the Wilderness Battlefield Coalition’s letter in advance of the Orange County Planning Commission’s third work session on REZ 22-03, Wilderness Crossing.
![Clarke County Land Conservation Fund](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/Clermont_Farm_Tree_Planting_11.12.22credit_Nick_Ferris-62-1024x684.jpg)
Clarke County Land Conservation Fund
The Clarke Fund works in partnership with numerous organizations and employs a variety of strategies to ensure conservation resources are protected for future generations.
![Data center public hearing Feb. 14 / boundary line adjustment withdrawn](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/warrenton-BLA-map.jpg)
Data center public hearing Feb. 14 / boundary line adjustment withdrawn
I want to update you about two different land use issues that the Town of Warrenton took up at their meeting last Tuesday.
![Faith Schweikert](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/faith_schweikert_headshot_12.20.22_credit_hugh_kenny_square_600x.jpg)
Faith Schweikert
As the Buy Fresh Buy Local Assistant at PEC, Faith’s work helps connect people from across the Piedmont to fresh, local products grown and raised in their area.
![Winter 2022 Piedmont View](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/Long_Branch_Tree_Planting_10.31.22_Clarke_County_credit_Hugh_Kenny_PEC-38-of-74-1024x683.jpg)
Winter 2022 Piedmont View
The winter 2022 edition of the Piedmont View was mailed out to PEC members in December.
![Reflections: On Why I’ve Supported PEC for Nearly 50 Years](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/MiddleburgShenk935-1024x683.jpg)
Reflections: On Why I’ve Supported PEC for Nearly 50 Years
PEC supporter Childs F. Burden shares the reasoning for his decades-long support PEC.
![On the Ground Updates – December 2022](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/brandy-station-culpeper-sunset-drone-0539-credit-marco-sanchez-1200x-1024x492.jpg)
On the Ground Updates – December 2022
A series of short updates from around the PEC region – Albemarle & Charlottesville, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange & Rappahannock.