While conserving the verdant landscapes of Virginia’s Piedmont is foundational to The Piedmont Environmental Council’s mission, making the outdoors accessible to everyone has become an equally vital goal. Over the past few years, we have deliberately integrated trail development into our broader conservation mission, protecting strategic properties that can serve as trail corridors or public access points to create lasting places and ways for people to experience the Piedmont’s natural beauty firsthand.
I recently spoke with Peter Krebs, PEC’s Community Advocacy Manager for Albemarle County and Charlottesville, about the benefits of more well-distributed public access to parks and green spaces, and how these initiatives underpin PEC’s core value that public access to nature is critical to the health and well-being of individuals and communities.
MOT: Expanding public access to nature and the environment is a key focus area for PEC. How does our trails and connectivity work directly support this?
PK: Our work is making it easier for people to reach the beautiful and restorative outdoor spaces that make our community so special. We hope it motivates people to get outdoors more often without the need to drive far or at all. By eliminating the need to drive to outdoor spaces, we’re removing a significant barrier to public access and reducing pollution.
MOT: Public access to parks and green spaces throughout the Piedmont became an even larger priority during the pandemic. What have you observed since then?
PK: We’ve seen increased numbers of people out walking, biking and visiting parks. One trail counter I monitor increased 400% during the pandemic, and the numbers haven’t gone down since then. Even while indoor activity has resumed, people have recognized the value of fresh air and moving around outdoors. They’ve kept going outside, which is entirely positive. The downside, if there is any, is that there were already too few public outdoor spaces; so now the need is even greater. That can mean more and better trails in the parks we have, but it also means opening new areas where access is lacking. Fortunately, I’m seeing some of both, but much more needs to be done.
MOT: Could you walk us through some of the trail projects currently underway across the Piedmont?
PK: PEC recently hosted its largest Mobility Summit ever, which kicked off planning the Three Notched Trail that will connect Charlottesville to the Blue Ridge Mountains — and the communities in between. The Fifeville Community Trail and the work we are doing in Biscuit Run Park both connect historically neglected communities to nearby parks, while also providing nonvehicular transportation options within spaces that are themselves restorative.
There’s also the Sperryville Trail in Rappahannock, Emerald Ribbons in Loudoun and the Gordonsville trails. All of which serve dual functions of providing connectivity and access to fresh air.
MOT: How are you working to connect public and privately conserved lands and public trails into a more cohesive network?
PK: That’s a real challenge and a golden opportunity. In Albemarle, many areas are technically privately owned but function like public parks, such as Saunders Monticello Trail, James Monroe’s Highland and UVA’s Foxhaven property off Reservoir Road.
Here’s an example of what a larger connected landscape might look like: back in 2019, PEC helped the City of Charlottesville purchase what is now the Heyward Community Forest from a private owner. Since then, local trail groups have been collaborating with the city and others to connect those 150 acres to a much larger area, including Boar’s Head, Ragged Mountain Natural Area, and beyond, which would total over 2,200 acres for recreational use. That’s almost three times larger than Central Park, and it’s right next to Charlottesville.
MOT: In terms of the role PEC plays, would you say we are a convener, land acquirer, technical advisor, community connector or something else?
PK: PEC is all of these things, plus a catalyst. We provide gravity to unite groups and hold projects together while connecting people with resources, such as with the Mobility Summit. We’re also committed partners who have spent years building trust and checking in constantly, so we are very accountable to our partners and to the public. That trust is reciprocated in the form of real support. Thanks to our members and donors, we are able to take a long view and keep pushing through the multiple years this work often requires.
MOT: Not everyone enjoys equal access to nature. How are you addressing equity considerations in your connectivity work?
PK: I look at where people live and where access is lacking as a starting point. The most important thing I do is spend an enormous amount of time — perhaps the majority — meeting people in communities and listening to them. Everyone wants access to the outdoors, but what that looks like is not the same for everyone.
MOT: How do you measure success beyond just miles of trail built?
PK: The miles of trail, the bikes, the shoes — none of these are as important as the health and happiness they bring to communities. It’s absolutely critical that people come to love the outdoors so they will be willing to protect the natural systems that are necessary for all life to continue. I see that love and connection every day.
MOT: What are the biggest challenges in creating connected trail networks?
PK: I am regularly amazed by how much people love the trails and public access that we do have. They don’t just say so, and they don’t just use the trails. They also show up in large numbers for volunteer work parties. However, the level of public financial investment in access does not match the desire or demonstrated support. There needs to be more public investment and there needs to be greater follow-though on projects that are already proposed. While we bring people together we also advocate for change.
MOT: PEC aims to permanently protect 30% of the Piedmont’s lands by 2030. How does trail connectivity factor into this broader conservation vision?
PK: Conservation is about protecting water, soil and air for humans and non-humans, now and for future generations. This need is existential, but we also need to get more people outdoors because it’s tremendously beneficial for them and it’s crucial for future conservation. People who spend lots of time in nature regularly are its greatest champions, and conversely, those who are unable to do so are unlikely to be supportive.
We need to be strategic and increase access where it is lacking and focus on projects that provide multiple benefits. Prioritize projects that simultaneously provide access to fresh air, get people out of cars and connect communities. That’s what we’re doing.
MOT: How do you balance the sometimes competing interests of conservation, public access and private property rights?
PK: Every project is unique, but two things are always the same and always essential: getting everyone to the table and communicating. Sometimes people come up with third-way solutions that none of us would have thought of alone. And sometimes, if people are unwilling to engage, we have to look for other ways to meet our basic goals. Either way, we keep circling back and keep trying.
MOT: Looking 5-10 years ahead, what’s your vision for the future of trails and connectivity in the Piedmont region?
PK: While the Piedmont is a vast and varied region, better access to the outdoors is a broadly shared goal. I hope our communities become better connected, that people are able to spend more time outdoors taking care of themselves and spending quality time with people they care about. Our fragmented infrastructure and our separation from nature are the fruits of bad decisions over several generations. Ten years won’t be enough to solve that. But I definitely see good progress in my own community, and am inspired when I travel around the region.
Volunteer opportunities, advocacy initiatives, and community planning processes all offer chances to contribute to this vision of a region where people and nature flourish together. By supporting trail development and connectivity, residents can help build a future that honors the natural and cultural heritage of the Piedmont while creating new possibilities for exploration and connection.
This article appeared in the 2025 Summer edition of The Piedmont Environmental Council’s member newsletter, The Piedmont View. If you’d like to become a PEC member or renew your membership, please visit pecva.org/join.