Inspiring Conservation: PEC’s Annual Gathering at Longwood Farm

Featuring Keynote Speaker Marion Werkheiser

Join PEC for a day of learning and community at Longwood Farm in Fauquier County.

Overview

The Annual Gathering is one of our flagship events of the year — a day to connect with others who care deeply about the future of our region and to reflect on the cumulative impact of our shared conservation efforts. It’s an opportunity to remind ourselves why our collective work  —  protecting the places we love and building better communities together — matters. Our keynote speakers invite you to view today’s challenges through a wider lens, while our workshops educate and empower with an inside look at the on-the-ground issues our staff navigate every day and our community lunch gives you a chance to meet like-minded people. Whether you’re a longtime supporter or new to PEC, we hope you’ll join us for an inspiring day.

Each year, we move the event to a different part of our nine-county service area. These locations bring our conservation and land-use work to life, showcasing the very places and resources we’re working together to celebrate and protect.

We are delighted to announce keynote speaker Marion Werkheiser, a leading international voice in the protection of shared history and landscapes. She has successfully advocated for changes to state and federal laws to preserve Indigenous and African American heritage while negotiating agreements to ensure large infrastructure projects give back to the local communities they impact.

Longwood Farm

This year, we are gathering at Longwood Farm, a 774-acre historic property in the Cedar Run and Potomac River watersheds near the villages of Auburn and Casanova. This working farm is a powerful example of how the intersection of conservation and thoughtful land stewardship can support agriculture and biodiversity in ways that celebrate our region’s cultural and historical landscapes.

Longwood’s owners, who teamed up to create Cedar Run Conservation LLC to buy and protect the property, have a vision to protect the land’s diverse natural and agricultural resources while ensuring it remains a productive working farm. With its sweeping views, over a mile and a half of vital stream corridors, and significant footprint within the Auburn Battlefield Historic District, the property showcases the natural beauty of the Virginia Piedmont while serving as a critical buffer against the fragmentation and development pressure facing Fauquier County.

Throughout the day, we will address how to conserve and restore more of the region’s lands in the face of mounting industrial pressure. Our sessions will also focus on protecting what has already been conserved and minimizing the impact of new data centers and energy infrastructure, while providing mitigation that helps achieve community and conservation goals.

The day will begin with a welcome from PEC President Chris Miller, followed by Werkheiser’s keynote address. After a community lunch, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in one of four workshop sessions exploring different aspects of conservation work in our region.

Keynote Speaker: Marion Werkheiser

Marion Werkheiser is an award-winning lawyer and internationally recognized trailblazer in the cultural heritage field. As the co-founder and chief executive of Cultural Heritage Partners, Marion has spent her career at the intersection of law, preservation, and community advocacy. She is widely recognized for her ability to navigate complex legal frameworks to ensure that development respects the cultural and historical integrity of the land.

Whether advising tribal nations or local grassroots organizations, Marion brings a sharp legal mind and a passionate heart to the fight for preservation. You’ll leave her talk with a deeper understanding of how we can leverage the law to protect the Piedmont region’s irreplaceable natural and cultural resources against the mounting pressure of industrial development.

---

Workshops

A choice of four workshops, beginning after lunch and running simultaneously, so please choose the one you’d like to attend when you register to help us plan accordingly. There is some flexibility to change your mind on the day of the event.

A Walking Tour of Conservation at Longwood Farm

Join PEC’s conservation team, Longwood’s owners and experts from Davey Mitigation to learn about the history of Longwood and the efforts to protect and enhance the property. Learn about work with Fauquier County’s Purchase of Development Rights program and the mitigation bank to restore wetland along Cedar Run.

The Energy Infrastructure Impacts of Virginia’s Data Center Boom

This workshop will examine the intensifying strain data centers are having on Virginia’s power grid and the resulting impact of proposed transmission lines and power generation facilities on communities throughout the region.

Legacy & Landscapes: The Power of Historic Districts

This session will explore how the designation of a historic district instills a deeper appreciation of an area’s history and landscape, and motivates long-term protection of cultural and natural resources.

What’s Next for Your Land? Navigating Land Transfer & Succession

In this workshop, we’ll explore some of the challenges around land transfer; basic tools and strategies for keeping rural land intact and in the family; and hear real-world stories about landowners who have successfully navigated the process and transferred their land to the next generation.

---

Agenda

10:00 a.m. | Gates Open. Check-in / Meet & Greet

10:30 a.m. | Welcome & PEC Update by President Chris Miller

11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Keynote by Marion Werkheiser

12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. | Community Lunch (optional)

1 – 2 p.m. | Choice of One of Four Workshops (optional)

1 | A Walking Tour of Conservation at Longwood Farm

2| The Energy Infrastructure Impacts of Virginia’s Data Center Boom

3| Legacy & Landscapes: The Power of Historic Districts

4 | What’s Next for Your Land? Navigating Land Transfer & Succession

2 p.m. | Event Ends

We hope you’ll join us to meet new people, catch up with friends, participate in one of our workshops, and learn more about local efforts to build a stronger, more sustainable region. 

Questions? Contact Montana Lanier Ruffner at [email protected].