As you may be aware, the city is in the midst of updating its comprehensive plan. This email will fill you in on where things stand and how to share your input by June 13. Next, I will share an important mobility survey for Charlottesville residents and finish with a few ways that everyone can celebrate National Trails Day (June 5).
Strong Communities
PEC believes that the work of protecting natural resources and the work of building better communities are integral to each other.
June 24 – Conservation and Collaboration Quarterly Keynote
Although this past year has kept us physically apart, conservation and our collaborative partnerships have continued to work throughout, producing some amazing results. This is why I’m so excited to invite you to our second virtual Quarterly Keynote on June 24 that The Piedmont Environmental Council is co-hosting with our friends at the Shenandoah National Park Trust and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s Virginia Working Landscapes!
Solarize Piedmont 2021 campaign available in ten different localities
The Solarize Piedmont program is back through June 30 and available to homeowners and business owners in Albemarle, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock counties, and the City of Charlottesville. Solarize Piedmont makes adding solar power, battery storage, and electric vehicle charging stations to homes and businesses easier and more affordable than ever, by leveraging the collective buying power of many to provide a one-stop shop for solar education, vetted installers, and discounted pricing.
Story Map Project: Fauquier’s Historic African American Communities
The interactive story map, visible at www.aahafauquier.org/storymap, includes a map of Fauquier County with points locating African American schools, churches and communities. Visitors can click on each point to see a photo and read a short description. A “read more” cue takes visitors to an interactive webpage with additional history and photographs.
Virtual Event Recap: Cycling for Sustainable Cities
On May 7, 2021, researchers Ralph Buehler (top-right) and John Pucher (second from top-right) spoke about their new book, Cycling for Sustainable Cities (MIT Press), which describes ways to make city cycling safe, practical, and convenient for all ages and abilities. They talked about trends and policies, and shared examples from across America and around the world–with cases similar to our own communities. Watch the video here.
Video: Restoring Access to the Rivanna River
To help the public safely access the Rivanna River, PEC teamed up with the City of Charlottesville Parks and Recreation, Rivanna Conservation Alliance, and Rivanna River Co, to update the boat landing at Riverview Park!
Rangel Communication Proposes 199-ft Tower in Thoroughfare Gap
We have learned that Rangel Communication Inc. will be filing an application with Fauquier County for a 199-foot monopole tower and tower compound in Thoroughfare Gap, just east of the Broad Run Post Office along the south side of Rt. 55. This area, steeped in history, is the gateway into Fauquier County from Haymarket to the east.
Appalachian Conservation Corps blaze new trail at Rappahannock County Park
Rappahannock County Park has been visited recently by the Appalachian Conservation Corps (ACC), an AmeriCorps program of Conservation Legacy. The Piedmont Environmental Council, PEC’s Krebser Fund for Rappahannock County and Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR) have partnered with the ACC to bring a crew of 6 young adults to the Piedmont region for tree plantings and trail maintenance projects.
Cycling for Sustainable Cities
Join PEC and partners on May 7, 2021 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm for Cycling for Sustainable Cities: A Presentation + Discussion with Ralph Buehler & John Pucher.
Celebrate Bike Month (May, 2021) with some inspiring stories about how to make cycling safer for everyone! Researchers Ralph Buehler & John Pucher will talk about their new book, Cycling for Sustainable Cities (MIT Press), which describes ways to make city cycling safe, practical, and convenient for all ages and abilities. They will include trends and policies, and share examples from across America and around the world–with cases similar to our own communities.
A Community Forest Grows (and Expands) on the Edge of Charlottesville
Since the advent of Covid-19, Charlottesville area greenways and open spaces have seen unprecedented visitorship as people have gravitated to the outdoors in search of the physical and emotional benefits of nature and fresh air. That’s why the creation of the new Heyward Community Forest is so timely.