The following article appeared in the Summer 2009 Piedmont View.

A spring-fed stream on newly protected land flows toward Purcellville's reservoir.

--Photo by Rose Jenkins

1,271-acre conservation easement is the largest in Loudoun County

In the forests near the top of the Blue Ridge on the western edge of Loudoun County, three springs bubble clear water that flows into a nearby reservoir. Water from the reservoir then runs about 20 miles through a gravity-fed system to the Town of Purcellville, where it provides 40% of the public water supply (the rest is drawn from wells). Now, this pristine water source is protected by a permanent conservation agreement.

The Town of Purcellville has donated an easement to the Virginia Outdoors Foundation on 1,271 acres, which include the three springs, the J.T. Hirst Reservoir, and a significant portion of the watershed above the reservoir. This property is the largest in Loudoun County to be protected by a conservation easement. The land is adjacent to the Appalachian Trail, so its protection secures the natural setting of the one of America's greatest trails as well as the purity of water flowing down from the mountains.

This conservation easement, which was filed on Earth Day, is the latest in a series of advances in environmental stewardship taken by this town of 6,500 people in western Loudoun:

• Purcellville is recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City, USA, for preserving and expanding the urban tree canopy.
• The Town's water treatment and wastewater plants have earned E2 designation in the Virginia Environmental Excellence program.
• The Town has implemented a water conservation program that saves 3,500 gallons of water per day and launched an LED streetlight demonstration project.
• The Town protected Firemans Field, a 15-acre park and ballfield in the center of town, with a historic preservation easement.

The Mayor of Purcellville, Robert Lazaro, who also serves as PEC's Director of Communications, says, "We're very conscious to include protecting the environment in the things that we do. Residents want to see their local government taking proactive measures. After all, they chose to live in a small town in the middle of the country, and they want us to keep this a nice community in which to live."

Read more articles from the Summer 2009 Piedmont View.