Updates from the around the PEC region, organized by county. Albemarle: Biscuit Run and courthouse relocation updates. Clarke: County updates and ordinances. Culpeper: Waterloo Bridge update. Fauquier: Data centers, development proposals & stormwater pollution solutions. Greene: White Run Reservoir. Loudoun: True North data center & Leesburg transportation. Madison: Septic system program. Orange: Subdivision ordinance. Rappahannock: Putting farms first.
Rappahannock County
PEC is proud to join other local groups and interested citizens in successful efforts to protect the magnificent natural and cultural heritage of Rappahannock County.
Free Flow
PEC has taken on the work of restoring local rivers by removing culverts and low-water crossings that can be roadblocks to stream health. By replacing these barriers on roads and driveways with fish- friendly designs, we are improving habitat and water quality.
Many aquatic species, including Virginia’s state fish, the Eastern brook trout, benefit from these restoration projects. Ideally, we hope these projects will influence government agencies to incorporate fish-friendly designs as they update roads and stream crossings.
Robinson River
SYRIA, VA. At the Robinson River, 350 linear feet of stream was restored to its natural channel, stabilizing banks from erosion, and ultimately removing sediment from going downstream to the Chesapeake Bay. In all, 5.3 miles of habitat was restored for aquatic species such as American eel and brook trout. PEC worked with USFWS, Shenandoah Streamworks, Trout Unlimited, and local landowners to complete this stream restoration project in April 2017. Monitoring for water quality, and fish population health with the help of partners of VA DGIF and TU.
Sprucepine Branch
HUNTLY, VA: Recent work at Sprucepine Branch reconnected 2 miles of stream, as a set of culverts were removed from a private driveway, and replaced with a bridge. PEC coordinated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Shenandoah Streamworks on the natural channel design and construction. The work included re-grading stream banks and in-stream structures that restored the natural hydrology of those streams.
The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries provided pre and post fish community monitoring.
Waterloo Bridge — Still Closed. Still Waiting for Repair
The other night as I drove home, I paid attention to each bridge crossing. There were 18 concrete slab bridges. A majority of our roadways are repetitive monolithic creatures with little character or interest of their own. This reminded me of a statistic I once heard about how the drive to somewhere can be a valuable part of the tourist experience. Most people probably don’t travel out of their way to visit a historic bridge, but crossing one is a memorable part of the journey. And if you live near one, it probably is a part of what defines ‘home’ for you.
PEC Donates Land to National Park Service
Shenandoah National Park just grew a little bigger and a little more beautiful. This past May, The Piedmont Environmental Council donated a 17.2-acre property it owned in Rappahannock County to the National Park Service. A forested and vacant parcel on a mountain slope south of Sperryville, VA, the land is within the legislative boundary of Shenandoah National Park.
PEC Donates Land to National Park
Shenandoah National Park just grew a little bigger and a little more beautiful. This past May, We donated a 17.2-acre property of ours in Rappahannock County to the National Park Service. A forested and vacant parcel on a mountain slope south of Sperryville, Virginia, the land is within the legislative boundary of Shenandoah National Park.
“The property is surrounded by the park on three of its four sides, so it’s a key puzzle piece,” says Carolyn Sedgwick, PEC’s Rappahannock County land conservation officer, who oversaw the donation from PEC to the National Park Service. “This great public-private partnership with the National Park Service has resulted in the expansion of one of the most important wildlife corridors on the east coast.”
The donated acreage is by an area in the national park designated as federal wilderness — the highest conservation designation for federal land — making it an important and strategic area to conserve.
Good News for the Brook Trout
We’re continuing our efforts to increase the habitat available to the eastern brook trout and other fish species with two pilot culvert removal projects…
Rappahannock’s Mountain Heritage: An Open House at the Thornton Gap Primitive Baptist Church
On April 11, 2015, PEC hosted our fourth annual mountain heritage celebration in partnership with Rappahannock Historical Society at Sperryville’s Thornton Gap Primitive Baptist Church. More than 250 people attended throughout the day – visitors learned about the rich culture and traditions of the families that once called these mountains home and many even walked the trails through Shenandoah National Park to see some of these former home sites in person. It was a wonderful day, filled with music, memories, and a renewed appreciation for the Blue Ridge Mountain heritage. Thank you to all who took part!
Please consider becoming a PEC member or renewing your membership to help make events like this one possible!
The Rappahannock County Conservation Alliance (RCCA)
RCCA was founded in 1999 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization focused on preserving open space and farmland in Rappahannock County. Its mission was to ensure that Rappahannock County remains a scenic, rural community by promoting conservation easements and farmland preservation.