As our 50th anniversary year comes to a close, we are taking stock in the effects of our collective efforts over the last half century toward meaningful conservation and better communities in Virginia’s Piedmont. We are ever grateful to our generous and committed supporters and members who’ve made it all possible, as well as our many partners and dedicated staff. As we head toward the close of 2022, we invite you to look back at a few highlights of our work together this past year.
Chris Miller
The Value of Local Decisions – Letter from PEC’s President
The coming year promises a surge of emerging issues that will challenge us and require your support and participation more than ever before.
The Piedmont’s Beauty Is Not An Accident – Letter from PEC’s President
I often say that the beauty of the Virginia Piedmont is not an accident. And over the course of 2022, PEC has been contemplating and celebrating 50 years of collective effort conserving and protecting this place we love so much as we also plan for a more sustainable future.
50 Years of Relentless Incrementalism – Letter from PEC’s President
For 50 years, PEC has remained committed to the pursuit of better local planning and conservation; the results are significant and even inspirational.
Spring Renewal – Letter from PEC’s President
The last few weeks of winter and the first weeks of spring are an amazing combination of both the opportunity for renewed life and the threat of damaging wind, snow and ice.
Planning for the Future
We have accomplished a lot together over the 50 years of PEC’s history. With 2022 on the horizon, we have begun work on an updated strategic plan to guide our efforts in the coming years. What will the Piedmont look like in 2030, 2050 and beyond?
President’s Letter – Winter 2021
The vibrant colors of the forests this fall have been a source of inspiration and hope for thousands of residents and millions of visitors to the Piedmont region. Whether an individual tree with a complete crown in full display or the more complex patterns of a forested hillside, their effect is an awesome reminder of the power of the natural world to recenter our lives around a sense of place.
Your Support is Doubled for Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday is a global movement dedicated to giving back to organizations and causes you care about. Today on November 30, your donation will go twice as far thanks to the generosity of a longtime supporter who is offering a dollar-for-dollar match on any gifts we receive up to a total of $25,000! We hope you consider making a special one-time gift, becoming a new PEC member, or renewing your existing membership.
49th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act
The Clean Water Act was passed the same year the Piedmont Environmental Council was founded, in 1972. The landmark law provides a set of broad goals, national minimum standards and processes to move toward improved water quality. Today on its 49th anniversary, we want to reflect on the way much of our conservation work comes back to water.
President’s Letter – Fall 2021
The past few months have laid bare before us some of the dramatic effects of the changing climate conditions in which we live. The intense storm events, devastating floods and hot, extended summers that continue to impact our community make it clear we need to plan for the future. The pressing question is how each of our communities, individually and collectively, do that, accounting for the changes already underway and taking steps to reduce, mitigate and adapt to their impacts. As PEC works with local and regional partners, we continue to integrate the changing climate into our long-range planning and are helping ensure that our communities and growth areas are prepared with strategies to respond.