Clean Water

Water is the lifeblood of our land, communities and economy. From the headwater streams of Shenandoah National Park to the Chesapeake Bay, water flows through all of our land. PEC helps landowners and residents across the Virginia Piedmont improve water quality in the region through land conservation, riparian buffer and stream restoration projects, the implementation of agricultural best management practices, and the promotion of more sustainable land use.

The Watershed Approach

Locally, what we do in our backyards matters to downstream users. Activities on land can increase the amount of pollution that enters waterways, from car oils and fuels to fertilizers and animal waste. All pollution moves with water and sediment and rates of pollution can increase where there is erosion along streambanks in rural settings, or where there is increased impervious surfaces like pavement and rooftops in urban areas.

Efforts to maximize good land use, ranging from farming and forestry to cities and suburbs work to meet watershed goals for the Chesapeake Bay. Land use practices involving energy, agriculture, and urban, suburban and industrial development have a major impact on the available water supply.

Energy projects

Pipelines for gas and transmission lines for power can disrupt watersheds, too. Forests and fields that provide habitat and filter clean water for streams are impacted by large-scale infrastructure. PEC encourages smart management of energy infrastructure, so the placement of gas pipelines and transmission lines does not create a harmful barrier for stream pathways.

Agricultural lands management

Agricultural best management practices (BMPs) include a wide range of management strategies to conserve natural land and water quality while simultaneously improving agricultural production. These best management practices have many benefits that protect water quality, such as decreasing chemical runoff and fencing around streams to prevent harmful erosion. In addition, agricultural BMPs such as rotational grazing, fencing, and protection of native grasses increase cattle safety and soil health, benefiting the rural agricultural economy.

Urban, suburban and industrial development

PEC’s promotion of smart development and growth ensures sustainable long-term land use and complements best management practices for conserving land. Local infrastructure is sustained as good investments when communities choose green infrastructure, and roads are built to minimally impact the health of streams and forests. Partnering with landowners, residents, and HOAs, and working with developers toward these goals, ensures the continued sense of place for future generations in the Piedmont.

aerial of wildnerness crossing property with mine icon overlay

Planning Commission Public Hearing on Wilderness Crossing Set for March 23

Even after 18 months, it is still unclear what the applicant has planned for the 2,618 acres of land included in the Wilderness Crossing rezoning proposal — still unremediated of toxic hazards from historic gold …
Spring 2023 Tree Planting Opportunities

Spring 2023 Tree Planting Opportunities

We are so excited for our four volunteer tree plantings this spring in Clarke, Culpeper Orange and Rappahannock counties during March and April …
Man paddles a canoe on the Rappahannock River

Video: Expanding Access to the Rappahannock River

PEC has been working with partners to make public access to the Rappahannock a reality for all who want to share in its bounty. In the past two years alone, three new boat launches have …
Volunteers Plant Close to 300 Trees in Berryville

Volunteers Plant Close to 300 Trees in Berryville

On November 12, 2022, 33 volunteers joined PEC staff at Clermont Farm in Berryville, VA, to plant 287 native seeds and shrubs seedlings! …
Hundreds of Trees Planted at Lane Property

Hundreds of Trees Planted at Lane Property

On November 9, 2022, 23 volunteers, including students from Belle Meade Montessori School, joined PEC staff at the Lane Property in Sperryville, VA, for a fall tree planting …
Planting Trees at Long Branch

Planting Trees at Long Branch

On October 31, 2022, 23 volunteers joined PEC staff at Long Branch Historic House and Farm in Boyce, VA, to plant hundreds of native trees and shrubs …
Bonny Brook Tree Planting

Bonny Brook Tree Planting

On October 13, 2022, four volunteers joined PEC staff at Bonny Brook Farm in Fauquier County to plant 55 native trees and shrubs along a riparian stream as part of PEC’s Potomac Planting Program …
a woman plants a tree

Volunteers needed to help plant native trees in Sperryville for a cleaner Rappahannock River watershed

PEC is seeking about 30 community volunteers to help plant 330 native trees and shrubs along Kilbys Creek in Sperryville on Wednesday, Nov. 9, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and from 1:30 – 4 …
a woman plants a tree

Calling Volunteers: White Post, Berryville tree plantings help make water cleaner in the Potomac watershed

PEC is seeking about 60 community volunteers from Clarke County and surrounding areas to help plant 570 native trees and shrubs at two family-friendly events in October and November …