Dear Friends,
As we near the end of 2017 and contemplate the future, I am increasingly convinced that we, as Americans, as Virginians, and as members of our various communities, need to focus on finding common ground around critical issues of quality of life. This has been a year in which many of our core assumptions about conservation and environmental protection have been challenged and, in some cases, cast aside. Now, more than ever, we need to remember why we all have been working so hard for so long.
As you travel through the Piedmont during the holidays, along its scenic roads that wind through fields and forests and across streams and rivers, think about how we all share the benefits of this incredible place.
Ensuring the safety of the water we drink, conserving the farms that grow our food, providing habitat for plants and animals, and saving special places that have shaped our history and provide us with healthy places to hike, ride, and camp are goals shared by an overwhelming majority of the Piedmont region. By providing the green infrastructure that is the foundation of our local and state economy, we ensure not only our current quality of life, but quality of life for future generations.
This fall, we were lucky enough to have a little star power help spread the word. Academy-award winning actor Robert Duvall donated his time and talent to The Piedmont Environmental Council to help create a video supporting natural resource conservation in Virginia. We are all deeply appreciative of his generosity.
In a 30-second spot released in October, Mr. Duvall describes playing many roles in his lifetime, but he points out his favorite role, saying, “Being me in Virginia.” He reminds viewers about the region’s marvelous landscapes, its farms, its waterways, and its region’s historic heritage, and calls on everyone to play a role in its preservation.
In the coming weeks, PEC and its partners across the Commonwealth will be launching a campaign to build a broader base of support for conservation. We hope that you will join Mr. Duvall in his message, encouraging your family, friends, neighbors, and elected officials to support conservation in Virginia.
If you haven’t seen the video yet, we’ve posted it on our website and on Facebook. We are pleased to partner with the team at Puckett Marketing and its creative leader Bill Puckett to develop the concept. We encourage you to share the video broadly, and let others know how important the support of conservation policies in Virginia is to you and to the future.
Sincerely,
Chris Miller, PEC
This letter was featured in our Winter 2017 member newsletter, The Piedmont View.