Montpelier Station and Warrenton, VA (May 4, 2026) — Scenic Virginia is proud to announce its inaugural roundtable on preserving the commonwealth’s treasured landscapes, taking place Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at historic James Madison’s Montpelier. This gathering will bring together partners, advocates and community stakeholders dedicated to protecting Virginia’s most treasured landscapes.

As growth and development pressures continue to impact communities across the Commonwealth, the roundtable will focus on practical strategies for identifying scenic assets, assessing potential impacts, and proactively mitigating change. The program is designed to foster collaboration and equip attendees with tools to preserve the character and natural beauty that define Virginia.

“Treasured Views combines both science and community interests and is a nationally acclaimed model in doing so to identify, catalogue, and develop a repository and share data on scenic resources,” said Scenic Virginia President Julie Summs. “By building a shared understanding of how we identify and protect scenic views, we can ensure these resources are recognized early, before they are at risk.”

The event will feature a dynamic lineup of speakers and topics, including:

• Welcome and Treasured Views Program overview by Patrick Miller, Associate Dean and Professor of Landscape Architecture, College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech
• The importance of mapping viewsheds in today’s development landscape by David Hill, President, Hill Studio
• Featured talk on the connection between landscape and culture by John Beardsley, Interim Director of Garden and Landscape Studies, Dumbarton Oaks
• Mapping scenic views with the Piedmont Environmental Council, by John McCarthy, Senior Advisor and Director of Strategic Partnerships, The Piedmont Environmental Council 
• Closing remarks and guidance on nominating a Treasured View by Lynn Crump, Scenic Assets Manager, Scenic Virginia 

Attendees will participate in an open dialogue throughout the session. The ultimate goal is for guests to leave inspired and prepared to nominate viewsheds for Scenic Virginia’s Treasured Views Program. Participants will also work toward a shared understanding of how to recognize and protect important viewsheds before they are threatened, helping to preserve the character and beauty of Virginia’s landscapes.

Scenic Virginia is now partnering with The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) to expand the Treasured Views program statewide. Together, the two organizations hope to bring this proven approach to more regions, empowering residents, planners, and conservation partners to protect Virginia’s visual and cultural identity.

“As the places we love and value are increasingly compromised by landscape-scale infrastructure and other development choices,” said John McCarthy, PEC Senior Advisor and Director of Strategic Partnerships, “a formal process to document their value is desperately needed, in our Commonwealth and elsewhere.”

By bringing together a diverse group of voices, Scenic Virginia aims to strengthen collective efforts to safeguard the landscapes that shape the Commonwealth’s identity and heritage.

Event Details:

Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Location: Grand Salon, James Madison’s Montpelier, 11350 Constitution Highway, Montpelier Station, VA 22957. Google Maps.

This is a $35 ticketed event. Tickets may be purchased online or by contacting Scenic Virginia at [email protected].

Media Contacts:
Scenic Virginia: Gillian (“Jill”) Grant, Program Director, [email protected]
Piedmont Environmental Council: Elizabeth Ransom, Media & PR Specialist, [email protected], #540-347-2334 x 7029

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Scenic Virginia’s mission is to preserve, protect, and enhance the scenic beauty and community character of the Commonwealth, with a particular focus on the preservation of our most significant viewsheds and on educating Virginians about the need to preserve these scenic resources through our Treasured Views program.

Treasured Views is a science-based, community-informed program designed to identify, assess, map, and catalog the views that define Virginia’s landscapes and sense of place. Developed over three years, the program draws on visual resource scholarship, original research, and established visual analysis practices, in collaboration with Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth University, and William & Mary. The result is a repeatable methodology—now a nationally recognized model—that can be applied to diverse viewshed types across urban, rural, and natural settings.

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.