For Charlottesville to reach its potential as a truly world-class city, residents must be able to move about easily, safely and affordably. Much needs to be done to reach that (appropriately) high standard, yet we can’t do everything all at once. So where should advocates, planners and officials focus their efforts?
Our Work
Safeguarding the landscapes, communities and heritage of the Piedmont by involving citizens in public policy and land conservation. Learn more about our work by browsing the subject areas below and find out how to get involved!
A Sanctuary, A Pollinator Garden
“This native plant garden provides important food and shelter for pollinators, birds and other wildlife,” reads a sign introducing a small but impactful plot of brightly colored flowers.
The Aviary
My home office is in a barn, which means I get to interact daily with the resident barn swallows, Hirundo rustica. Their Latin name means “from the country,” an emblematic moniker that I wish I could stick on the end of my name or title somehow… Swooping, diving, and catching their food in mid-air, they are a wonderful distraction for me to engage in.
Video: Orvis Giveback Days for Bolton Branch
In May, The Piedmont Environmental Council teamed up with Orvis to raise money to restore two miles of brook trout stream habitat on Bolton Branch in Rappahannock County.
PEC Quarterly Keynote: Conservation and Collaboration
Together with the Shenandoah National Park Trust and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s Virginia Working Landscapes, the Piedmont Environmental Council presented its 2nd virtual Quarterly Keynote on Thursday, June 24 at 6:30 pm.
Video: Documenting Fauquier’s Forgotten History
In 1860, free and enslaved African Americans made up half of Fauquier County’s entire population. After the Civil War, Black communities like Morgantown, two miles south of Marshall, that grew out of emancipation held powerful meaning as community centers where African Americans could freely worship, conduct commerce, obtain education and own land.
What is the Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative?
Native grasslands have suffered the most intense impact by humans of any of North America’s terrestrial ecosystems, resulting in grassland-associated birds experiencing a steeper, more consistent decline than any other guild of birds.
On the Ground Updates – June 2021
A series of short updates from around the PEC region – Albemarle & Charlottesville, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange & Rappahannock.
Story Map Brings History to Light
In 1860, free and enslaved African Americans made up half of Fauquier County’s entire population. Black communities like Morgantown, two miles south of Marshall and where Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County President Karen Hughes White and Board Member Angela Davidson were raised, grew out of emancipation. They held powerful meaning as community centers where African Americans could freely do what they could not when they were enslaved: worship, conduct commerce, obtain education, own land.
Signs of a Scenic River
In western Albemarle County, the cold, pristine waters of the Moormans River spill over a towering Sugar Hollow Dam and wind eastward for 14.3 miles. Flowing gently at first through historic Sugar Hollow and White Hall, it gathers strength and speed from Doyles River, Wards Creek, and other streams before joining the Mechum River at Brinnington to form the Rivanna River. Eventually, the Moormans’ waters reach the James River and the Chesapeake Bay.