AC44

Albemarle County 2044 (AC44)

Winter Updates from Albemarle & Charlottesville

This text was taken from an email sent Jan. 30, 2025. Sign up for email alerts →

Biscuit Run Park covered in snow. Photo by Peter Krebs/PEC.

Dear Supporter,

In the last week, I’ve wandered around the County’s new Biscuit Run Park and advocated for data center reform in Virginia’s General Assembly Building in Richmond. Both feel like the right kind of places to spend a winter: enjoying easy-to-access nature and taking action on environmental issues that impact us all. Read on to learn about ways PEC has been working with community members to make Albemarle and Charlottesville better.

And if you’re interested in hearing about all of this directly from us, mark your calendars to join PEC’s Charlottesville staff for an Open House next Mon., Feb. 3 from 4 – 7 p.m. RSVP or swing by to hear about all the land use, conservation, and transportation and mobility work we’re working on this year. 


Conservation: Impact of 2024 Conservation Easements in Albemarle

Permanently conserved farmland in Albemarle County. Photo by Kim Biasiolli/PEC. 

As an accredited land trust, PEC helps Virginia realize its conservation, climate, and biodiversity goals by partnering with landowners who wish to permanently protect their lands by placing a conservation easement on their property. In 2024, Albemarle County landowners protected 665 acres through conservation easements held by PEC, the Albemarle County Easement Authority and the 500 Year Forest Foundation.

Eighty-three percent of land in Virginia is privately owned, and these private lands contain irreplaceable waterways, prime agricultural soils, forest blocks, scenic viewsheds, historic resources and wildlife habitat. Locally, examples of this impact include over 500 miles of streams, 1,500 acres of wetlands, 76,00 acres of forests, and over 40,000 acres of prime farmland protected by conservation easements in Albemarle County alone.

Protecting these conservation values and a myriad of other public benefits that conserved lands give the community, such as climate and flood resiliency, is crucial. This is why we’ve been advocating for increased support for conservation programs in Albemarle County to advance more conservation locally and ensure that landowners of all income levels can participate.


Land Use: Albemarle Comprehensive Plan Update

The Albemarle Comprehensive Plan update process (AC44), which seeks to outline the vision for the County for the next 20 years, will soon wrap up discussion about land use decisions in the Rural Area, the Development Areas and the Growth Management Framework. The Board of Supervisors will hold a work session Wednesday, Feb. 12 on these topics, so we’ll share our comments with those signed up for our AC44 update emails beforehand. Throughout this process, PEC has continued to wave the flag for smart growth, access to nature, and protection of the rural areas for biodiversity, water supply and the rural economy. 

Next topic up is Parks, Recreation, and Open Space. The Planning Commission will hold a work session Tuesday, Feb. 11, and a Board of Supervisors work session is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 19. As for all community topicswe encourage you to write to your supervisor if you have an opinion on parks, recreation and open space. County planning staff will continue to consolidate information as they work through the draft chapters before producing a draft document this summer. 


Parks & Trails: Biscuit Run Park Opens to the Public

Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and supporters cut the ribbon to open Biscuit Run Park in December. Photo by Hugh Kenny/PEC.

Two decades in the making, 1,190 acres of woodlands and meadows has opened to the public as the new Biscuit Run County ParkPEC had a direct hand in ensuring this land be publicly accessible green space and in pushing the project forward along the way. We’ll continue to be involved as we work toward:

  • Connecting the park to Southwood via a new bridge and trailhead at Hickory Street
  • Designing a greenway connection to future Monacan Nation Tribute Park
  • Expediting walk & bike connections to the rest of the community, including the City of Charlottesville

This new park is located in the heart of the community. Its many offerings, including seclusion, diverse habitats, more than 8.5 miles of well-marked trails, and abundant fresh air, are now available to far more people within a walking, biking or a short drive’s distance. Its heritage trees, multiple streams, a pond with beavers, historic home sites and much more can now be part of people’s everyday lives.

At this year’s Charlottesville / Albemarle Mobility Summit, March 6 and 7, we’ll be celebrating this and continuing to work toward greater access to the outdoors, including launching the study of a path that extends from Charlottesville to the Afton Tunnel near Waynesboro. 


Upcoming Events

Our PEC and Buy Fresh Buy Local signs on East Water Street. If your business would like to be added to or support this year’s Buy Fresh Buy Local Guide, please email [email protected]. Photo by Faith Schweikert/PEC.

E-Bike Voucher Registration
Registration ends Friday, Jan. 31

E-Bikes could be game-changers as ways to get people out of cars, while dramatically reducing emissions, congestion, and parking. They transform cycling in some fundamental ways that are particularly important in our region, which is hilly with four very distinct seasons. To reduce barriers to entry, the City of Charlottesville is offering a $1,000 voucher for e-bike purchases. Register for several drawings throughout 2025. The first registration period will end this Friday, Jan. 31. Learn more at https://cvilleebike.com/

PEC’s Charlottesville Office Open House
Mon, Feb. 3, 4–7 p.m., 410 East Water Street #700

Come join us in celebrating the past year and learn about our work going forward. We’ll gather in community with drinks, light bites, and conversation about PEC, the community, and how we can all work together to make it better. Let us know you’re coming and stop by the King Building anytime that evening. 

Charlottesville / Albemarle Active Mobility Summit
Two days! Thurs., Mar. 6, 5:30–8 p.m. + Fri., Mar. 7, 9 a.m.–noon,
The Wool Factory (1837 Broadway St.)

The fifth annual Charlottesville / Albemarle Active Mobility Summit invites cyclists, walkers, runners, and people interested in promoting active lifestyles for an evening of presentations, followed by morning work sessions. This year’s Summit will be the unofficial launch of the Three Notch’d Trail study — an 18-month process to determine the best route for a paved, shared-use path connecting Charlottesville to the Afton Tunnel and beyond. 

You don’t need to attend both sessions to benefit, but it is encouraged. Both sessions will include snacks and drinks. The Mobility Summit is free but registration is required.


Lastly, these emails are meant to inform, to engage and to remind our members and readers that their participation can make a difference in issues that are important to them. In the midst of great change, local action matters. As always, we encourage you to get involved.

Hope to see you at the Open House next week,

Faith Schweikert
Communications Specialist
[email protected]

AC44 Update: Dec. 6, 2024

With three AC44 meetings held in a single week leading up to Thanksgiving, its clear Phase 3 is well underway, just as we noted in our last update. Read on for a summary of some of the more concerning conversations we heard and what we’re looking forward to at next Tuesday’s Planning Commission Work Session on the Rural Area Land Use chapter. 

As always, participation makes our community better. Stay tuned and share this email with those interested in engaging with Albemarle’s future and sign up for the County’s alerts to hear it from them first.

Planning Commission Work Session
Rural Area Land Use (Actions)
Tues, Dec. 10 @ 4-5:30 p.m. 
Lane Auditorium, County Office Building 
401 McIntire Road

Albemarle’s rural and urban forests and tree cover sequestered over 900,000 metric tons of carbon per year for 2008-2016, roughly 60% of the average greenhouse gas emissions for Albemarle for those years. Source: Annual Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory, Albemarle County, 2018. Photo by Hugh Kenny/PEC.

Rising Concerns

The Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors have committed to a Growth Management Policy that states, “focusing growth within the Development Areas is the best way to preserve land for agriculture, forestry, and the natural environment in the Rural Area, and to foster a vibrant mix of uses and activities with services and amenities in the Development Areas, leveraging existing infrastructure and opportunities for redevelopment, discouraging sprawl, and providing services and infrastructure in a fiscally responsible manner.”

Though PEC supports much of what is proposed regarding the growth management framework and the draft Development Areas and Rural chapters, we have serious concerns about what we’ve heard recently.

For example:

1. Forest blocks aren’t beneficial unless they are publicly-accessible.

    Albemarle’s rural and urban forests and tree cover sequestered over 900,000 metric tons of carbon per year for 2008-2016, roughly 60% of the average greenhouse gas emissions for Albemarle for those years. They also filter air quality, provide essential wildlife habitat, and provide climate and flood resilience. Views of forest cover and natural open space contribute to the thriving tourism industry in Albemarle County and Charlottesville, totaling nearly $1 billion annually – comparable to the estimated $1.2 billion annual economic benefit of the regional Department of Defence sector. In addition to protected private lands, PEC continues to advocate for publicly accessible open spaces for people to visit – to be seen most visibly with the opening of Biscuit Run Park Dec. 14. 

    2. The Development Areas may need to be expanded sooner than later in order to accommodate the projected growth of over 30,000 new Albemarle residents by 2044. 

    The County’s 2022 Land Use Buildout Analysis indicates that there is space available for development and redevelopment within the current Albemarle County Development Areas. We should be prioritizing and incentivizing this kind of dense, walkable/bikeable development with access to transit and open space within the current Development Areas, especially for affordable housing proposals.

    3. Misconception: We should consider “transition zones” between the Development Areas and the Rural Area. 

    Facts: The current draft Growth Management Policy clearly states the “Development Areas and the Rural Area will have distinct boundaries, without low-density transition areas.” The draft growth management framework includes a Development Areas Utilization Review that would be undertaken every two years to ensure we unlock the capacity of the Development Areas to accommodate future growth, including for Affordable Housing.

    As PEC has seen in Loudoun County, the creation of a “transition zone” between the rural and developed parts of the county, can easily lead to sprawl, traffic and air quality impacts, and threaten the natural resources that the Rural Area was created to protect. Namely, our water resources that are threatened by climate change and unchecked growth.


    The Rural Area was established in the late 1970s to protect the water supply for Charlottesville, the University of Virginia and the urban areas of the County. The large overlays on this map are our drinking water watersheds. Map by Watsun Randolph/PEC. [View larger version]

    Dec. 10: Rural Area Land Use Planning Commission Work Session (Part 2)

    The Nov. 19 Planning Commission Work Session focused on Rural Area Land Use policies. The Dec. 10 work session will be all about Objectives and Actions, or pages 7-10 of the draft Rural Area Land Use chapter. As we mentioned before, there is much we can support in the draft chapter:

    • the Rural Area Land Use Approach;
    • the focus on strengthening Land Conservation;
    • the recommendation for the development and adoption of a Rural Area Land Use Plan into the comprehensive plan; and 
    • protection of rural communities.

    However, like our support for the Rural Area from the beginning, many of our concerns have stayed well into this process. We are concerned that:

    • focusing on potential land uses at the rural Yancy and Shadwell I-64 interchanges could lead to sprawl and traffic impacts along US250 east and west of the Yancy interchange and US250 east of the Shadwell interchange.
      • The County should limit the small area plan study areas for these two interchanges to the parcels abutting and in close proximity to the interchanges.
    • the County’s proposal to review and update the legacy or stale commercially zoned parcels in the Rural Area could lead to sprawl and adverse impacts to Rural Area resources and communities. These are parcels that were zoned commercial before the Rural Area zoning was established in 1980.
      • The County should address land use policies for these parcels as part of the County’s recommended Rural Area Land Use Plan.
    • the County’s proposal to identify land uses and potential ways to support existing businesses and services in the Rural Area. Unless driven by a rural community’s input and consensus, this approach could result in sprawl and overdevelopment.
      • This proposal should be holistically and intentionally addressed as part of the County’s recommended Rural Area Land Use Plan or small area plans for rural communities.
    • the County’s proposal to identify an overall acreage or maximum percentage for land conservation in the Rural Area. The County’s “how much is enough?” quantitative approach could result in missed opportunities for conserving our most important resources that support resilience and quality of life. This conflicts with the County’s own goals for conservation. This is another reason to support PEC’s initiative to strengthen Albemarle’s conservation programs through actionable steps. Supervisors will discuss this during their Jan. 8 work session focusing on the entire Rural Area Land Use chapter.
      • The County should eliminate this proposal from the draft recommendation for the preparation of a Rural Area Land Use Plan.

    Submit Comments:

    As this is a work session and not a public hearing, there will be no opportunity for public comment, but you can still:

    • Submit Comments in Writing: Public comments will be accepted in writing at the work session, or by emailing comments to [email protected] and copying  [email protected] and [email protected].
    • Attend the Work Session: It is important for elected officials to see that community members are paying attention to the decisions that impact them. 
    • Join a future AC44 lunch & learn: County staff will virtually give a brief presentation about each chapter and answer any questions. See their events page for information. Next Thurs., Dec. 12 @ noon will cover the Rural Area Land Use chapter.

    We hope to see you at the meeting and hear that you submitted comments.


    Upcoming Dates

    • Tues, Dec. 10: AC44 Planning Commission Work Session: Rural Area Land Use (Actions) – 4 – 5:30 p.m.
    • Thurs, Dec. 12: AC44 Lunch and Learn: Rural Area Land Use – Virtually @ 12 – 1 p.m. 
    • Tues, Dec. 17: AC44 Planning Commission Work Session: Environmental Stewardship – 4 – 5:30 p.m. 
    • Wed, Jan. 8: AC44 Board of Supervisors Work Session: Rural Area Land Use (Final: Entire Chapter) 
    • Wed, Jan. 22: AC44 Board of Supervisors Work Session: Environmental Stewardship

    Thank you! 

    Rob McGinnis

    AC44 Phase 3 Begins in Full Force

    The following text was sent out via email on Nov. 15, 2024. Sign up for PEC email alerts →

    Dear Supporters, 

    The Albemarle Comprehensive Planning process is once again underway, this time with a robust agenda and communications materials to match. PEC has followed along since the beginning, but especially since our last update in August. Read on for a summary of where we are now and what’s happening this Tues., Nov. 19. Stay tuned and share this email with those interested in engaging with Albemarle’s future; we’ll resume our regular emailing schedule. Also, sign up for the County’s alerts to hear it from them first. 

    This has been a long process but it will end in mid-2025, and with your effort and ours, resulting in a better future for Albemarle County. Thank you for your engagement.

    Planning Commission Work Session: Rural Area Land Use
    Tues., Nov. 19 @ 6 p.m.
    Lane Auditorium, County Office Building
    401 McIntire Road

    What’s Been Going On

    Since the close of Phase 2 and the AC44 team’s July presentation outlining the new Comp Plan structure and next steps, the ball has kept rolling. County staff unveiled:

    • An updated Growth Management Framework, which PEC is largely supportive of, should it include more language about the County’s commitment to unlocking the potential of the Development Areas and protecting the Rural Area for climate resilience.
    • The Future Land Use Categories designations and map, which shows what and where specific types of land uses like for single family housing like an HOA or a mix of commercial and residential could occur, like the Downtown Mall.
    • A draft of Activity Center place types, which describes four types of community spaces that can exist now or in the future with various businesses, services and housing where people can gather, shop, stroll, work, and meet our daily needs.

    County staff have also reworked elements of the draft Comprehensive Plan over the summer and have come up with 10 plan topic chapters for implementation, with actionable steps for each, that will be shared throughout the rest of 2024 and early 2025.

    The chapters now are:

    • Development Areas Land Use
    • Rural Area Land Use
    • Transportation
    • Thriving Economy
    • Environmental Stewardship
    • Historic, Scenic, and Cultural Resources
    • Resilient Community
    • Parks, Recreation, and Open Space
    • Housing
    • Community Facilities & Services

    There was an all-CAC (Community Advisory Committee) meeting to address the draft Growth Management Framework and future land uses on Oct. 30. And the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors have held work sessions on the Development Areas Land Use chapter in the last couple of weeks. 

    Going forward, plan chapters will be released on the AC44 Engage website roughly monthly – or via the staff memo a week prior to future work sessions. Staff will then seek feedback from the Planning Commission during a work session, and the Board of Supervisors during a later work session. There will also be a monthly virtual lunch & learn events in order to ask staff specific questions – the first will be held on the Development Areas policies, goal statement, objectives, and actions this Thurs., Nov. 21 @ noon: register to attend.

    Watch this County-produced video on the importance of the Rural Area. Source: Albemarle County’s YouTube channel.

    Nov. 19: Rural Area Land Use Planning Commission Work Session

    From the beginning of this process, PEC has highlighted the importance of the Rural Area. To this end, there is much we can support in the proposed Rural Area Land Use draft chapter that will go before the Planning Commission this Tuesday, Nov. 19 @ 6 p.m. These include:

    • the Rural Area Land Use Approach;
    • the focus on strengthening Land Conservation;
    • the recommendation for the development and adoption of a Rural Area Land Use Plan into the comprehensive plan; and 
    • protection of rural communities.

    However, like our support for the Rural Area from the beginning, many of our concerns have stayed well into this process. We are concerned that:

    • focusing on potential land uses at the rural Yancy and Shadwell I-64 interchanges could lead to sprawl along US250 east and west of the Yancy interchange and US250 east of the Shadwell interchange.
    • the County’s proposal to review and update the legacy or stale commercially zoned parcels in the Rural Area. These are parcels that were zoned commercial before the Rural Area zoning was established in 1980. This approach could lead to sprawl and adverse impacts to Rural Area resources and communities.
    • the County’s proposal to identify land uses and potential ways to support existing businesses and services in the Rural Area. Unless driven by a rural community’s input and consensus, this approach could result in sprawl and overdevelopment.
    • the County’s proposal to identify an overall acreage or maximum percentage for land conservation in the Rural Area. Our assessment is that we’re very far away from reaching anything like maximum-desired conservation. The County’s “how much is enough?” quantitative approach could result in missed opportunities for conserving our most important resources that support resilience and quality of life.

    Submit Comments:

    As this is a work session and not a public hearing, there will be no opportunity for public comment, but you can still:

    • Submit Comments in Writing: Public comments will be accepted in writing at the meeting, or by emailing comments to [email protected] and copying  [email protected]
    • and [email protected].
    • Attend the Work Session: It is important for elected officials to see that community members are paying attention to the decisions that impact them. 
    • Join a future AC44 lunch & learn: County staff will virtually give a brief presentation about each chapter and answer any questions. See their events page for information on when the Rural Area will be. This Thurs., Nov. 21 @ noon will cover the Development Area.

    We hope to see you at the meeting and hear that you submitted comments.


    Upcoming Dates

    • Nov. 19: AC44 Planning Commission Work Session: Rural Area Land Use – 6 p.m.
    • Nov. 20: AC44 Board of Supervisors Work Session: Development Areas Land Use – 6 p.m. 
    • Nov. 21: AC44 Lunch and Learn: Development Areas Land Use – Virtually 12 – 1 p.m.
    • Dec. 10: AC44 Planning Commission Work Session: Rural Area Land Use – 4 – 5:30 p.m.

    Thank you!

    Rob McGinnis, PLA FASLA
    Senior Land Use Field Representative
    Albemarle & Greene Counties
    [email protected]

    Fall Updates From Albemarle and Charlottesville

    Fall Updates From Albemarle and Charlottesville

    This text was taken from an email alert sent out on Sept. 26, 2024. Sign up for email alerts →

    Dear Supporter,

    There are so many ways one can engage with the environment in the Piedmont. Whether you’re interested in wildlife and habitat restoration, water issues, or connecting more people to the outdoors in parks and trails, read on for ways to get involved in making our community better. 

    And if you’re an Albemarle resident, make sure to check out the Oct. 30 All-CAC (Community Advocacy Committee) meeting on Albemarle’s Comprehensive Plan. The CACs are forums for resident input on Land Use issues within the County’s designated neighborhood areas. They’re a great way to follow what’s happening in the community and in this case, they will all be meeting together. It is a very strategic opportunity and you can be sure that we’ll be there waving the flag for smart growth, access to nature, and protection of the rural areas for biodiversity, water supply, and the rural economy. 


    Conservation: Establishing Habitat for Grassland Birds in Albemarle

    yellow and brown bird
    Common Yellowthroats are small songbirds that spend most of their time in grasslands and thickets looking for insects. Their sound used to be familiar to this region. Photo by October Greenfield/PEC.

    Over 60 species of birds rely on Virginia’s grasslands through the year to nest, collect food or over-winter. But in the last century, grassland birds have experienced the sharpest population decrease of any bird group in North America. The Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative, a collaborative partnership between PEC, the American Farmland Trust, Quail Forever, and Virginia Working Landscapes, has been working creatively to bring that population back on managed agricultural lands. 

    One of the ways they’ve done this is by creating incentives for farmers to delay their haying or participate in summer pasture stockpiling, practices which give grassland birds a place to nest and mate in the grasses. This season ensured there were 1,527 acres of grassland, from 18 landowners and producers who applied for the program, available for grassland bird habitat. About 40% of that was in Albemarle County. Other landowners are beginning to adopt the practices voluntarily.

    A stable habitat is required to support wildlife populations . And ensuring that habitat is there involves maintaining
    existing open space, including both working landscapes and natural forestland. To do this, and achieve our community’s climate goals, we are advocating for increased support for conservation programs in AC44 by making it a catalyst project.  

    Applications for next season’s VGBI incentives program will open Oct. 1 for landowners/farmers interested in taking part in the incentives programs.


    Land Use: Water Supply Planning to Address Climate Impacts

    2001 drought conditions at Sugar Hollow Reservoir when the urban services areas in the County and the City of Charlottesville were just weeks away from running out of water. This drought of record led to mandated water supply planning and much of the improved and proposed water supply infrastructure that we are looking at now as drought becomes more common. Photo by PEC.

    Clean drinking water is a fundamental human need. Our community, through the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA), has a long history of planning for water use to ensure that there is sufficient supply for the Charlottesville/Albemarle region. However, the water supply plan was largely spurred by the dramatic drought of record in 2001-2002. 

    It centered on fortifying Albemarle County, the City of Charlottesville, and Town of Scottsville water supply systems and accommodating projected growth of the urbanized development areas defined in the 2015 comprehensive plan. 

    Going forward, new legislation requires water supply planning to be more regionally cross-jurisdictional and be based on river basins. This brings Charlottesville and Albemarle into a region with Greene, Lousia, Fluvanna and Buckingham counties. It remains unclear what will result from cross-jurisdictional planning. PEC is currently requesting to serve as a formal stakeholder during the regional water supply planning process. Droughts and extreme weather events will be more frequent as climate change gets worse, and will have ripple effects beyond water supply systems. This is why PEC is proposing comprehensive groundwater monitoring programs be established for both Albemarle and Greene counties to inform decisions based on water availability in the future. View our Climate Action Report for more information → 


    Parks & Trails: Report Finds Residents Want More Trails

    two women in pink shirts walk on path next to sign that says Butterfly Greenway
    Photo by Peter Krebs/PEC.

    The City of Charlottesville has completed the first part of its new Parks Master Plan. This first phase was about understanding the recreational needs of Charlottesville residents. The preliminary results underline (emphatically) what we have been saying for years: Charlottesville residents want more trails, they want for existing trails to be better maintained, and they are willing to pay for them.

    We will have more information as the plan develops. For now, here are a few tidbits that caught our eye:

    • An astonishing 94% of residents have visited a local park in the last year (national benchmark = 76%).
    • While residents clearly love the parks and trails, only 11% rate their upkeep as “excellent”, which is well below the 27% benchmark. 
    • The top nine priorities all relate to exploring the outdoors, with trails and access reflected in several different categories – all well above things like courts and ballfields (which we also love).
    • Most residents (86%) are willing to pay for better parks. More than half would approve a $.01 property tax increase to pay for parks and a third would approve the maximum amount suggested ($.015).
    • Not surprisingly, these findings track very closely with Albemarle County’s 2018 Recreational Needs Assessment – their most recent available. That report also found that County residents want more trails – specifically connective trails – and safe places to walk and bike. They too expressed willingness to pay higher taxes in order to have them.
    • The results of both of these surveys are statistically and demographically sound and broadly reflective of area residents’ desires. They should not surprise anyone, as they reflect national trends which have solidified since the pandemic.

    Peter just shared an update about one of his favorite local trails: a five-mile circulator greenway centered around McIntire Park that will serve both City and County residents by connecting Downtown with the Hydraulic and Rio areas. Peter and I will be leading an Advocacy Hike along that future greenway (which is already a lovely place to walk) on Sept. 28. (See below)

    • You can learn more about the City Parks Master Plan here.

    Upcoming Events

    Loop de Ville 5-Mile Loop Advocacy Hike
    Sun., Oct. 6, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., McIntire Park
    New date due to inclement weather!

    PEC and partners have been advocating for a five-mile loop trail connecting McIntire and Greenbrier Parks, three schools, hundreds of businesses and thousands of residents for years. Now, it’s within reach! Join PEC’s Peter Krebs at 9:30 a.m. during Loop de Ville for a guided tour of the eventual multipurpose-path that will be a game-changer for community connection. 

    Loop de Ville: 20-Mile Hike / Bike / Run / Volunteer
    Sun., Oct. 6, All Day, Starting and finishing at Rivanna River Company
    New date due to inclement weather!

    Celebrate National Public Lands Day by walking, biking or running the beloved 20-mile Rivanna Trail. There will be numerous hikes, walks, runs, and bike rides for people of all abilities — with guides and support along the way. Find PEC and our partners at the YMCA at our Cheer Zone Tent along the way. 

    Carbon & Conservation Workshop
    Oct. 31st, 11:00-2:00 pm, Standardsville, Va.

    Come learn about forest carbon, conservation easements, and other climate-smart conservation programs and opportunities are available to landowners at this free workshop. Lunch will be provided. 

    Albemarle Conservation Speed Dating Event
    Nov. 1st, 1:00-4:00 pm, Bellair Farm

    Join us for a hands-on workshop that will give you one-on-one time with local technical assistance providers and conservation practitioners to discuss your interests, options, and next steps specific to your property. All participants will receive a large-scale printed map of their property to use during the event and take home for reference.

    Space is limited for this event.  Please RSVP by emailing [email protected].

    Soft opening of Biscuit Run Park
    Fall, 2024Two decades in the making, this 1,190 acres of woodlands and meadows will open as a County Park this fall. PEC had a direct hand in ensuring this land be publicly accessible green space and in pushing the project to completion. Stay tuned for more info about a soft opening this October and an official ceremony in November.


    Lastly, these emails are meant to inform, to engage and to remind our members and readers that their participation can make a difference in issues that are important to them. So this election season, we encourage you to make a plan to vote. Early voting is available to all registered voters now through Nov. 2 at your local registrar’s office. You can check your voter registration status and learn more about voting in this year’s election at vote.elections.virginia.gov.

    Faith Schweikert
    Communications Specialist
    fschweikert@pecva.org 
    (434) 977-2033 x7026

    On The Ground Updates – September 2024

    On The Ground Updates – September 2024

    A series of short updates from around the PEC region – Albemarle & Charlottesville, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange & Rappahannock.