Press Release: Oct. 1 at Powers Farm & Brewery: free community workshop on funding and technical resources for land management and conservation

Media Contact: Bryn Sonnett, Rappahannock-Rapidan Conservation Program Manager
Piedmont Environmental Council
[email protected]; 540-935-9914

collage of photos: aerial of farmland, forest and a river; yellow bird perched on tall grass; one man walking alongside a green tractor tilling an empty field; two sets of people leaning over to plant trees next to a river and forest; a group of cows near a water crossing with fencing on either side; a crowd of people sitting on hay bales in a yard while they listen to a speaker — Fauquier farmland aerial by Will Parson, Chesapeake Bay Program; Eastern meadowlark by October Greenfield/PEC; Tractor by Bruce Jones; Riparian buffer tree planting by Pete Smith; Cattle using stream crossing courtesy John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District; Land management workshop by Hugh Kenny/PEC.

Casanova, Va. (Sept. 25, 2025) – On Wednesday, Oct. 1, from 5-7 p.m., community members are invited to a free Conservation Funding Workshop and Social to learn about funding and technical assistance available to them for land management and conservation options that benefit water quality and wildlife, as well as working lands and farmers. They’ll also have an opportunity to discuss particular programs of interest with presenters after the formal presentations. The free workshop will be held in the Barrel Room at Powers Farm and Brewery, with light refreshments provided. Though held in Fauquier County, this event includes information relevant to other counties in Virginia and is open to all. Detailed information and registration can be found at: pecva.org/event/conservation-funding-workshop-social/

“Tremendous financial and technical resources are available to farmers and landowners. These could include livestock fencing and watering systems, streamside tree plantings, incentives for delayed haying or rotational grazing, conserving farmland by selling development rights, and more,” said Bryn Sonnett, PEC’s Rappahannock-Rapidan Conservation Program Manager. “This workshop is for anyone interested in learning more about those resources, on large and smaller scales.”

This workshop is being hosted by Natural Resources Conservation Service, the John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District, Fauquier County Department of Agricultural Development, and The Piedmont Environmental Council in partnership with PEC’s Julian Scheer Fauquier Land Conservation Fund. Presenters from these organizations will go over the basics of conservation easements and will highlight programs designed to protect and bolster working farmland and the agricultural industry in the region, particularly participation in Fauquier County’s Purchase of Development Rights programs and NCRS’s Agricultural Land Easement program, which allow landowners to sell the development potential on qualifying properties while maintaining ownership and agricultural use of the land. Presenters will also share agricultural cost-share programs for such practices as livestock fencing, livestock watering systems, riparian buffer programs, nutrient management projects, and haying and grazing practices and cost-share programs.

For more information or to register, contact Bryn Sonnett at [email protected] or 540-935-9914.

Media Photo options:

Livestock exclusion fencing at Dean and Carina Elgin’s Mountain Hollow Farm, Credit Hugh Kenny, Piedmont Environmental Council.
A similar event at the Fauquier County Livestock Exchange in 2024. Credit Hugh Kenny, Piedmont Environmental Council
Conservation of William Dove’s horse farm in Orange County. Credit Hugh Kenny, Piedmont Environmental Council.
Eastern meadowlark flying over a grassland field. Credit Hugh Kenny, Piedmont Environmental Council

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PEC’s Julian W. Scheer Fauquier Land Conservation Fund was established in 2003 to protect land with important natural, historic, scenic and agricultural resources in Fauquier County. The Fund provides direct funding for environmental stewardship on working farmland, technical support for easement donations, and educational workshops on conservation and management options.

The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) works to protect and restore the lands and waters of the Virginia Piedmont, while building stronger, more sustainable communities. Founded in 1972, PEC is a locally based, community-supported 501(c)3 nonprofit and accredited land trust. At the core of PEC’s approach is a focus on educating, engaging and empowering people to effect positive change in their communities.