Plantings for the Piedmont - The Piedmont Environmental Council

There are numerous programs across our 9-county region which provide free technical assistance, project design, materials, and labor for the planting of native trees and shrubs in riparian zones on qualifying properties.

Learn more about the program for your watershed:

Potomac Planting Program

Learn more about the program for properties in Clarke, Loudoun and parts of Fauquier in the Potomac watershed.

Headwater Stream Initiative

Learn more about the program covering covering the upper Rappahannock watershed, covering all or parts of Fauquier, Rappahannock, Culpeper, Greene, Madison, and Orange counties.

James River Buffer Program

Learn more about the programs available in the James watershed, including Albemarle, and parts of Greene and Orange.

Blogroll:

a group walks from a farm house through a grassy field

Earlier this month, friends new and old joined us for the 20th Annual Bluebell Walk: Benefits of Beavers, Birds & Battling Invasives for Native Biodiversity along the banks of Cedar Run in Catlett, VA.
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This May, Orvis Giveback Days Will Raise Money for The Piedmont Environmental Council’s Tree Planting Program

During the month of May, when you shop at your local Orvis store in Arlington, Leesburg or Tysons Corner part of your purchase goes to support local land and water conservation efforts! For every purchase over $10, Orvis will donate $10 on your behalf to The Piedmont Environmental Council as
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Volunteer Spotlight: Felix Kontanis and Jennifer Dorrer

Each spring and fall, PEC welcomes dozens of volunteers who get their hands dirty and their feet muddy helping us plant native trees and shrubs along streams on private properties. We caught up with two of our tree planting volunteers, Jennifer Dorrer and her son, Felix Kontanis, to learn about
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 p.m.
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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.
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multiple volunteers in a grassy field planting tree saplings

Fall tree plantings + Orvis Giveback days

As PEC’s Tree Planting and Stewardship Coordinator, I’d like to invite you to join our conservation team this fall to plant native trees and shrubs along waterways in the Virginia Piedmont. We’re looking for volunteers to help out on four different days in October and November.
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a young woman plants a tree sapling in dirt

Fall 2022 Tree Planting Opportunities

We're so excited to announce four volunteer tree plantings for the fall! Planting native trees and shrubs along streams, rivers, and ponds – also known as riparian buffers – is a way to help clean water and connect wildlife habitat. Our tree plantings will take place in Clarke, Fauquier and
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Earth Day Tree Planting at the Volgenau Property

Last week, with the help of 56 volunteers, we planted 550 trees along the banks of Thumb Run on the Volgenau property in Fauquier County.
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a man and woman stand side beside on a farm property

Planting Trees at Thunder Lane Farm for Earth Month

PEC's Maggi Blomstrom stands with the farm owner. Credit Hugh Kenny/PEC On Thursday, April 14 and Friday, April 15, 23 volunteers joined The Piedmont Environmental Council at Thunder Lane Farm in Culpeper, VA for an Earth Month-inspired tree planting. The streams that run through the farm are tributaries to Mountain
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Bluebell flowers on the banks of Cedar Run

2022 Bluebell Walk

On April 9, 2022, The Piedmont Environmental Council’s Julian W. Scheer Fauquier Land Conservation Fund hosted its annual "Bluebell Walk on Cedar Run" at Bonny Brook Farm in Catlett, VA.
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two volunteers plant a tree in a grassy field

April Tree Planting Opportunities

For the month of April, we have three new and fast-approaching volunteer opportunities to help us plant trees.
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aerial view of a meandering stream through two fields in a rural landscape during autumn

Re-aligning Land and Nature at the Holden Farm in Loudoun County

In 2021, the Holdens partnered with The Piedmont Environmental Council to permanently conserve their rolling 35-acre farm just south of the historic Quaker village of Lincoln.
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Rappahannock Headwater Stream Initiative

The Headwater Stream Initiative is a joint project of The Piedmont Environmental Council and Friends of the Rappahannock.
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James River Buffer Program

Our partners at the James River Association, Virginia Department of Forestry, and Chesapeake Bay Foundation are working with landowners across the middle and upper James watershed to restore or create forest buffers that improve the quality of local waterways.
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a green tree tube with surrounding trees tubes in a field during a planting event

Potomac Planting Program

The Potomac Planting Program includes properties in the Potomac River watershed of Clarke, Loudoun and Fauquier counties.
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aerial image of a river surrounded by spring-colored trees and further away, farmland and mountains

Why Riparian Buffers?

Riparian buffers are the vegetated areas along rivers, streams, creeks, and other waterways. They provide a number of important benefits for stream health, people and wildlife.
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aerial image of a rural farm. there are tree tubes adjacent to a stream between two sets of fences

Other Cost-Share Programs

Learn more about the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and Soil & Water Conservation District Ag BMP cost-share programs.
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a smaller stream entering a large river, with green land on all sides

The Land Along Life-Giving Water

This fall, we received two important grants to support and expand our work protecting rivers and streams.
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a large tree with trees in tubes next to it in a field

750+ Trees Planted at Sky Meadows State Park

In October, volunteers helped plant 3.5 acres of trees to protect the Goose Creek Watershed.
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Volunteer plants trees in Fauquier County

Video: Meadows Farm Tree Planting

WATCH: PEC staff and volunteers planted 300 trees at Meadows Farm in Fauquier County on Earth Day!
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Pen Druid Tree Planting

Part of a collective effort to get native trees and shrubs planted in riparian zones in headwater counties of the Rappahannock River Watershed.
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A Legacy of Love

Through the Headwaters Stream Initiative, an astounding 3,765 trees were planted on 16 acres the Goodall property in Madison County, including 4,600 linear feet of stream.
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Trout Streams

Planting riparian buffers along native trout streams is a priority for the Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) and Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR). Many of the headwater streams of the Upper Rappahannock watershed support Eastern brook trout, the only trout species native to Virginia.
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