Parks and Trails

PEC Donates Land to National Park

PEC Donates Land to National Park

Posted on by Paula Combs

Shenandoah National Park just grew a little bigger and a little more beautiful. This past May, We donated a 17.2-acre property of ours in Rappahannock County to the National Park Service. A forested and vacant parcel on a mountain slope south of Sperryville, Virginia, the land is within the legislative boundary of Shenandoah National Park.

“The property is surrounded by the park on three of its four sides, so it’s a key puzzle piece,” says Carolyn Sedgwick, PEC’s Rappahannock County land conservation officer, who oversaw the donation from PEC to the National Park Service. “This great public-private partnership with the National Park Service has resulted in the expansion of one of the most important wildlife corridors on the east coast.”

The donated acreage is by an area in the national park designated as federal wilderness — the highest conservation designation for federal land — making it an important and strategic area to conserve.

A Trail of History

A Trail of History

Posted on by Paula Combs

Walking downhill through the open meadow, one gets a sense of liberty that comes when exploring this tranquil, rural place. At the bottom of the hill, there’s an historic log structure, which provides a glimpse into the property’s past. Once the pathway leads into the forest, you begin ascending the mountain to find spectacular views of the Blue Ridge. 

A Great Day at Chapman DeMary Trail

Posted on by Bri West

We were excited to team up with The Nature Generation this summer on an educational/volunteer event at the Chapman DeMary Trail in Loudoun County.

19 students and educators from Indonesia were guided through water monitoring efforts by experts from The Piedmont Environmental Council, Loudoun Valley High School and Loudoun Watershed Watch.

Expanding the Warrenton Branch Greenway

Expanding the Warrenton Branch Greenway

Posted on by PEC

The Warrenton Branch Greenway is a treasured community resource in Old Town Warrenton. The 1.5 mile-long trail not only provides a great outdoor recreational space, but it is also an important historic resource—as it follows the old Orange and Alexandria Rail-road line that was built in the 1850s. Today, thousands of people use this trail annually to enjoy running, walking and biking. 

Saving Nature in Town

Posted on by Rose Jenkins

Three children romped down the trail, shouting in unison, "We found the Osage Orange! We found the Osage Orange!" The softball-sized fruit, with its bright green, wrinkled shell was the last thing they needed to complete a 26-item scavenger hunt on the Chapman-DeMary Trail in Purcellville — having already discovered hackberry, wild grape, a small island in the creek, a bug on the ground, a good hiding place, and the rest.