Conserving Land

To date, PEC has helped landowners permanently protect more than 430,000 acres of land in our nine-county region. Our work centers around accelerating the pace of land conservation, ensuring clean water, enhancing wildlife habitat and expanding public access. Get started on your land conservation journey with our free easement brochure.

Cost-Share Programs for Land Management

Cost-Share Programs for Land Management

Learn about funding options for land management activities on your property …
Intro to Conservation Easements

Intro to Conservation Easements

An easement is a voluntary land preservation agreement between a landowner and a land conservation organization, designed to protect the …
2025 Impact Report

2025 Impact Report

Thank you for taking a moment to read about PEC’s achievements across our region and throughout our programs this year. We could not do this work without your support and your commitment, so thank you …
Conservation Funding Workshop & Social 2025 - Resources
A legacy of conservation and community at risk in Fauquier County

A legacy of conservation and community at risk in Fauquier County

From their storied pasts to the present day, the Fauquier County towns of Remington, Bealeton and the many unique crossroad communities in the surrounding region have been characterized by their rural charm. And for decades, …
A baby opossum in the grass.

Conservation Benefits Everyone

The car in front of me swerved to miss something in the road. I slowed, watching a small creature make its slow, plodding way across the asphalt. As I got closer, I realized it was …
Broad Run Bridge Expansion Proposal Threatens Chapman-Beverley Mill

Broad Run Bridge Expansion Proposal Threatens Chapman-Beverley Mill

Chapman-Beverley Mill Historic Site. Photo credit: Virginia.org Sign the Change.org petition urging VDOT to reconsider its proposal to replace and significantly widen the I-66 bridge at Broad Run, which would put the historic Chapman-Beverley Mill …
Black cows in a field at sunset.

Conserving a Crown Jewel in Culpeper County

Western View Plantation in Culpeper County gets its name from the panoramic vista of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park seen from its pastures and fields. This 700-acre working farm exemplifies the kind …
Three people walk away from the camera down a wooded trail. A sign in the foreground reads "Sperryville River Walk."

PEC’s Big Year in Conservation

Last year, within The Piedmont Environmental Council’s nine-county region, landowners partnered with conservation organizations like ours to conserve 5,446 acres of lands and forever protect the many public benefits they provide the region …
Conservation Funds Protect Clarke County Property

Conservation Funds Protect Clarke County Property

Sometimes advancing conservation in our region means supporting another partner’s vision. This was the case last year, when The Piedmont Environmental Council contributed funds from our Clark County Land Conservation Fund to the purchase of …
The Little Forest That Could

The Little Forest That Could

Deep within the center of a former 1,200-acre monoculture pine plantation-turned-utility-scale solar project lies a donut hole of amazing, permanently protected natural hardwood forest. It exists because Christine and Bob Putnam took yet another of …
Two men stand in front of a barn, holding a sign that says "This property is permanently protected by a conservation easement"

The Next Generation

For over 100 years, three generations of Goodalls have owned and worked to improve their land in Madison County, which now stands at 596 acres after enlarging the farm several times. Now, brothers Joe and …