Piedmont Environmental Council has been a Buy Fresh Buy Local (BFBL) chapter coordinator since 2007. Over that time, our three BFBL chapters have grown to include over 600 farms, farmers’ markets, retailers, restaurants, wineries, and specialty food producers all committed to our local food system.
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!
New Year, Familiar Problem
We continue to believe this is the most important land use decision that will be made in northern Virginia in the next 5 years. The Outer Beltway would open up ~100,000 acres of relatively open land in eastern Loudoun and the Prince William "rural crescent" to development, cut through a National Park, make investments in metro and transit-oriented development more difficult to fund, and at the end of the day, is very likely to make traffic on east-to-west roads like Rt. 50 and Rt. 66 even worse. This text is from a January 6th Email alert.
Adaptive Reuse Ordinance
An Adaptive Reuse Ordinance has been drafted that alleviates our concerns about this undermining rural zoning in Fauquier. The changes are carefully crafted to support innovative small businesses who reuse historic structures, differentiate between the use of reception and restaurant, and addresses what happens if the structure is destroyed.
Presentations from the November 2012 Invasive Plant Symposium
Our November 2012 Invasive Plant Symposium was a great success! Over 140 people attended this event in Middleburg, co-sponsored by PEC, Sacharuna Foundation, Virginia Working Landscapes, and United Plants Savers.
The Curse of the Yellow Powder
Is it possible to restore a landscape damaged by uranium? Ask the Navajo in New Mexico.
Spout Run Watershed Gets Some T.L.C.
Clarke County’s Spout Run watershed is comprised of 14 miles of perennial streams, many of which are spring-fed. So, Spout Run has the potential to provide clean water and support a large variety of wildlife species. Yet, the streams are considered unhealthy due to the levels of nutrients and sediment from fertilizers, livestock, and other human-related activities. For this reason, the Spout Run watershed is on Virginia’s State Impaired Waters List. This is bad news not only for the wildlife and people living around the watershed, but also for those downstream—including the Chesapeake Bay.
Looking Beyond Property Lines to Restore the Thumb Run Watershed
PEC’s Sustainable Habitat Program Manager, James Barnes, often works with landowners in the Piedmont on a one-on-one basis—helping them find ways (and funding) to improve their properties to restore wildlife habitat and water quality. This conservation work is important, and Barnes has worked with many excited landowners. He’s realized, however, that to make a lasting difference in habitat resoration in the Piedmont, landowners will need to start looking past their property lines.
Invasive Plants: Why Bother?
When I work with landowners on how they can better manage their properties for wildlife habitat, many common questions concern invasive plants. These questions include: “What is that weird, abundant vine/shrub/tree/pond muck? And how do I get rid of it?” Other times, it’s: “Do I need to worry about plant X?” or “Why bother?”
County Discusses Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan Overhaul
The Orange County Circuit Court ruled that the County does not have the authority to enact a subdivision ordinance with time-phased divisions of land. This invalidates the current ordinance and allows for the immediate division of all agricultural lands into 2 acre lots unless the Board takes action immediately to establish protections of the rural area. Please speak at the Oct. 4th public comment period on proposed changes and send your concerns to the Planning Commission and your representative on the Board of Supervisors.
Coal-By-Wire Transmission Line: DEFEATED
For six years, the Potomac Appalachian Transmission Highline (PATH)—a massive, unnecessary 765-kV transmission line— has threatened Virginia. The line was to start in southwest West Virginia, travel northeast through previously undisturbed land, eventually cross through Virginia’s northern Piedmont, and wind up near Frederick, Maryland. PEC and our allies have been fighting this wasteful project for years, and we have some good news: The PATH transmission line project is officially dead. On August 24th, the Board of PJM, our regional grid operators, voted to cancel the project.