The Piedmont View

Our quarterly membership newsletter. 

Protecting Thumb Run

Protecting Thumb Run

Posted on by Paula Combs

What’s good for wildlife is often good for water quality,” said Celia Vuocolo, PEC’s wildlife habitat and stewardship specialist, as she spoke to guests at the fifth Annual Thumb Run Open House.

This sentiment was reinforced at the event, held on November 13 at the Orlean Fire Hall, by speakers Amy Johnson of Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s Virginia Working Landscapes Program, Janet Davis of Hill House Farm and Nursery and Dr. Tania Cubitt of Performance Horse Nutrition LLC, whose presentations focused on grassland bird conservation, landscaping for wildlife and healthy horse pastures, respectively. While the presentation topics varied, the underlying theme was the same — land stewardship supports clean water.

On the Ground in 2016

On the Ground in 2016

Posted on by PEC

Updates from the around the PEC region, organized by county. Starting off with Albemarle, where under the guise of promoting economic development and using very general cost estimates, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors appears determined to move forward with a plan to relocate the county court house out of the City of Charlottesville, its location since 1762 and where both Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe practiced law…

Fenced in at Roundabout Meadows

Fenced in at Roundabout Meadows

Posted on by Paula Combs

Polluted water is not only bad for us and the environment, but it’s bad for livestock as well,” says Celia Vuocolo, habitat and stewardship specialist at PEC.

A significant stewardship project is wrapping up this fall at Roundabout Meadows, the 141- acre property near Gilbert’s Corner that was gifted to PEC in 2013. The project is focused on implementing agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) that will keep livestock away from the property’s streams and provide a clean source of water for cattle. As part of the effort, over 2 miles of fencing and almost a mile of pipeline plumbing for a watering system have been installed.

“Our long-term plan for Roundabout Meadows is to retain its agricultural use, and we want to do so in a manner that is in harmony with being good stewards of the land and water resources, while farming continues on the property,” says Michael Kane, director of conservation at PEC.

A small town with a lot to offer

A small town with a lot to offer

Posted on by Paula Combs

Creating a community park takes quite a bit of planning, which is why the historic railroad town of Remington is about to receive support for adding recreational space for its residents and visitors.

Situated on a scenic natural crossing of the Rappahannock River, Remington has an abundance of character and contains elements of a walkable community, including a compact street grid. But the town has few common areas for recreation and no official public access to the river.

PEC Donates Land to National Park

PEC Donates Land to National Park

Posted on by Paula Combs

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.

Happy Anniversary PEC Fellowship!

Happy Anniversary PEC Fellowship!

Posted on by PEC

Boasting 116 alumni since its inception, the seven-week Fellowship Program has helped future environmental leaders gain hands-on experience in a unique mix of topics such as land conservation, land use, sustainable agriculture, energy policy, habitat stewardship, historic preservation, transportation planning and geographic information systems (GIS) with experienced professionals.

We receive applicants from all over the country. Through a selective process, twelve college students are chosen to participate in the summer Program.

President’s Letter – Summer 2016

President’s Letter – Summer 2016

Posted on by Chris Miller

We are mourning the loss of Bill Backer, long-time PEC supporter and Piedmont Foundation President, who passed away on May 13, 2016. An advertising genius who taught the “world to sing” when he created the 1971 “Hilltop” commercial for Coca-Cola—what many consider to be the most famous commercial ever.

Bill loved the Piedmont and chose to make Fauquier County his permanent home in 1994. I’ve known Bill for over 20 years. He was a man of incredible intellect and insight into the human spirit…

A Thank You and Best Wishes

A Thank You and Best Wishes

Posted on by PEC

…As Doug plans for his retirement in July, I reflect on what an honor it has been to work with him through the years. We all know Doug as hard-working, passionate, funny and fearless. We also know him as the man who wears the best crazy socks.

He has been my boss for the majority of his time at PEC, but most importantly, he has been my friend. He never asked staff to do anything that he wouldn’t do, always standing and working beside us to see an event or project through to the end. He always encouraged us to grow our interest and ideas into projects that may align with PEC’s mission, while igniting our excitement that we too are helping make a difference…