On Friday, January 27, 2023, more than seventy participants gathered together to learn more about small agricultural solar. This workshop hosted by The Piedmont Environmental Council covered the latest information on incentives offered by USDA Rural Energy for America Program for improving energy efficiency and/or installing renewable energy, information about ag net metering and small generators options with utilities, tools for analyzing return on investment and tips for finding reputable solar installers.
Working Farms & Food
Farmland and forests produce the necessities of life and provide essential natural services. In PEC’s nine county area, over 180,000 acres of farmland and 140,000 acres of forests are protected through private, voluntary land conservation.
Eyes on Richmond / Call to Support Farmland Protection
The Piedmont Environmental Council is tracking a broad array of bills and budget amendments, as well as supporting legislative priorities of partners within the Virginia Conservation Network.
2022 Highlights
Learn about our efforts to expand conservation and restoration efforts, empower local communities, invest in public access, and connect consumers to local farms in 2022.
Return of the Grassland Birds
The new Virginia (formerly Piedmont) Grassland Bird Initiative (VGBI) is showing promising signs of returning those birds to the Virginia landscape. With grant funding, the program pays farmers to adopt bird-friendly best management practices.
Soil is Alive: How to Keep it Healthy
Healthy soil can make as big a difference for home gardeners as it can for large-scale farmers. We sat down with Melissa Allen, District Manager at the John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District to talk about the importance of and path to healthy soil.
Along the Route 50 Corridor
The beauty of the Route 50 corridor is not an accident. It has taken multi-generational involvement in local decision-making to plan for and preserve this historic east-west passage. PEC has played a part in that by working with communities and partner organizations to identify threats and opportunities that could impact the corridor’s scenic character and its function as a powerful economic engine for tourism revenue.
Video: Cover Crops with John Marshall Soil and Water
We partnered with John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District to produce this video about their cover crop cost-share program.
PEC to hold Family Day at the Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows, June 18
On June 18, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., The Piedmont Environmental Council invites community members to a free, fun-filled Family Day at PEC’s Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows, located at 39990 Howswers Branch Drive in Aldie.
HB 206 – Getting Solar Siting Right
HB 206 was a bipartisan bill to improve the utility-scale solar permitting process in Virginia.
2021 at the Community Farm
2021 was our best year yet at the Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows! Thanks to the help of more than 750 volunteers over the course of the year, we were able to donate approximately 35,000 pounds of fresh produce to our friends at Loudoun Hunger Relief!