Shenandoah National Park just grew a little bigger and a little more beautiful. This past May, The Piedmont Environmental Council donated a 17.2-acre property it owned in Rappahannock County to the National Park Service. A forested and vacant parcel on a mountain slope south of Sperryville, VA, the land is within the legislative boundary of Shenandoah National Park.
Parks and Trails
A small town with a lot to offer
Creating a community park takes quite a bit of planning, which is why the historic railroad town of Remington is about to receive support for adding recreational space for its residents and visitors.
Situated on a scenic natural crossing of the Rappahannock River, Remington has an abundance of character and contains elements of a walkable community, including a compact street grid. But the town has few common areas for recreation and no official public access to the river.
PEC Donates Land to National Park
Shenandoah National Park just grew a little bigger and a little more beautiful. This past May, We donated a 17.2-acre property of ours in Rappahannock County to the National Park Service. A forested and vacant parcel on a mountain slope south of Sperryville, Virginia, the land is within the legislative boundary of Shenandoah National Park.
“The property is surrounded by the park on three of its four sides, so it’s a key puzzle piece,” says Carolyn Sedgwick, PEC’s Rappahannock County land conservation officer, who oversaw the donation from PEC to the National Park Service. “This great public-private partnership with the National Park Service has resulted in the expansion of one of the most important wildlife corridors on the east coast.”
The donated acreage is by an area in the national park designated as federal wilderness — the highest conservation designation for federal land — making it an important and strategic area to conserve.
Montpelier-Grelen Trail Receives “Virginia Treasures” Award
Part of a nine-mile trail system with old-growth forests and meadows, the Montpelier-Grelen Trail links the historic James Madison’s Montpelier with Grelen Nursery, a 25-year-old working tree nursery in Orange County.
A Trail of History
Walking downhill through the open meadow, one gets a sense of liberty that comes when exploring this tranquil, rural place. At the bottom of the hill, there’s an historic log structure, which provides a glimpse into the property’s past. Once the pathway leads into the forest, you begin ascending the mountain to find spectacular views of the Blue Ridge.
A Great Day at Chapman DeMary Trail
We were excited to team up with The Nature Generation this summer on an educational/volunteer event at the Chapman DeMary Trail in Loudoun County.
19 students and educators from Indonesia were guided through water monitoring efforts by experts from The Piedmont Environmental Council, Loudoun Valley High School and Loudoun Watershed Watch.
Explore Warrenton Trails
See a map with Warrenton’s trails, and find out where to view additional trail maps in Fauquier County.
Area Residents Give to Greenway Expansion
Give Local Piedmont was a community-wide online giving challenge that sought to inspire folks to make donations of $10 or more to local nonprofits for 24 hours on May 6. Part of a national campaign, Give Local Piedmont supported the effort for Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison and Rappahannock Counties. And the good news is—it worked!
Expanding the Warrenton Branch Greenway
The Warrenton Branch Greenway is a treasured community resource in Old Town Warrenton. The 1.5 mile-long trail not only provides a great outdoor recreational space, but it is also an important historic resource—as it follows the old Orange and Alexandria Rail-road line that was built in the 1850s. Today, thousands of people use this trail annually to enjoy running, walking and biking.
New Park at Gilberts Corner
The land at Gilberts Corner in Loudoun County that PEC saved from development in 2009 is now part of a public park at a gateway to one of America’s most historic landscapes.