Remember taking civics or government in high school? Sometimes, it may feel fairly irrelevant to your day to day life… But then you think about traffic, taxes, school boundary changes, parks and recreation, social services, where you work or shop, the water you drink or the natural resources you care about. All of these are heavily impacted by decisions made by local government.
Marco Sanchez
Greene’s Mountain Heritage: An Open House at Cecil Mission
On April 22, 2017, the Piedmont Environmental Council hosted our sixth annual mountain heritage celebration at the Cecil Mission Chapel near Stanardsville. At least 100 people attended throughout the day – visitors learned about the rich culture and traditions of the families that once called these mountains home and some even walked the trails through Shenandoah National Park to see some of these former home sites in person.
Albemarle’s Mountain Heritage: An Open House at Mount Fair
On September 29, 2018 PEC held its 7th annual mountain heritage day at historic Mount Fair Farm in western Albemarle County. The property’s owners, John and Dudley Macfarlane, generously opened up their property to the public so that the entire community could take a trip back in time to learn about the mountain culture of Virginia’s Blue Ridge. Over the course of the day, more than 300 visitors joined us.
Claire Catlett
Claire Catlett joined PEC in the spring of 2017. Prior to working at PEC, Claire lived and worked for eight years in the Southwest, dedicating her studies and work towards the conservation and protection of our Western rivers. Claire holds degrees from Roanoke College (B.A. French, International Relations), and University of Denver (M.A. International Development, Sustainability and Environment). She has served as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Gila Resources Information Project in Silver City, New Mexico; Western Hardrock Watershed Team in Albuquerque; and Friends of the Verde River Greenway in Cottonwood, Arizona.
A Burn at the Piedmont Memorial Overlook
As part of our ongoing habitat restoration project at our Piedmont Memorial Overlook property near Sky Meadows State Park, the Virginia Department of Forestry helped us conduct a prescribed burn on 5 acres of our native warm season grass meadow. Prescribed fire reduces fuels, suppresses some woody species, recycles nutrients and stimulates plant growth– all of which improves habitat for wildlife.
Proposed 2017 General Assembly Budget – Affect on Conservation Programs
Virginia operates on a biennial budget of which, we are in the second year. The Governor introduced his amendments to the budget in December. While our focus was on changes to the conservation grant programs and the Land Preservation Tax Credit, we were also concerned by the lack of funding provided for Agricultural Best Management Programs (Ag BMPs). That introduced budget became the foundation for the House and Senate Budget bills. Below is a brief description of the differences between the two budget bills.
Cross, Robin
Robin Cross joined PEC in January to serve as the Fellowship Coordinator for 2017. The previous fall and winter, Robin volunteered at PEC and absolutely loved it! As a volunteer, she supported a wide range of projects throughout the organization and gained valuable experience in the conservation and non-profit world.
Good News! Subcommittee Tables HB 1470
HB 1470, which would significantly cut Virginia’s successful land conservation incentive, was tabled in subcommittee on Wednesday, January 18.
General Assembly eyes further cuts to land conservation
The Virginia General Assembly will kick off on January 11, 2017, and with a budget shortfall weighing heavily on the minds of our legislators, a lot of cuts are being discussed. Of particular concern is HB 1470, which would substantially reduce the tax incentives for land conservation. This text was is a modified version of an email alert we sent out on December 20, 2016.
2016 Photo Contest Winners & Finalists
We asked you to pick your favorite photos in four different categories: Local Farms and Food, Native Plants and Wildlife, Beautiful Landscapes and the Youth Category. Congrats to Joyce Harman, Susan Tucker, Jack Hardie and Becca Pizmoht for their respective category wins!