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.
Rappahannock River

Wilderness Crossing: New Residential Development or Potential Superfund Site?
In November 2021, PEC learned that of the five formally-named gold mine sites located on the proposed Wilderness Crossing residential development, none of them have been closed and cleaned up – a process called “reclamation.”

A Few Highlights From 2021
Despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and a global economic slowdown, 2021 proved to be a year of new opportunity here at The Piedmont Environmental Council.

New boat launch on the Rappahannock River
On August 14, Fauquier County’s second Rappahannock River kayak/canoe launch officially opened at the Rector Tract with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, offering county residents a new public access point to the state-designated scenic river.

New Rappahannock River Kayak/Canoe Launch Now Open in Remington, Ribbon-cutting planned for Aug 14, 2021
Fauquier County’s second Rappahannock River kayak/canoe launch is now open at the Rector Tract, located at the end of River Road in Remington, giving county residents a new public access point to the state-designated scenic river. The timber-framed, concrete staircase, with a wooden slide for hand-launch of non-motorized vessels, was built over five days last week by Brad Mawyer of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Wes Hale and a crew of staff from Fauquier County Parks and Recreation, Maggi Blomstrom of The Piedmont Environmental Council, and three Fauquier County resident volunteers. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held Saturday, Aug. 14 at 12 p.m.

Beavers Are a Stream’s Best Friend
Did you know that beavers only eat the bark off branches? Well, sometimes they eat the buds and roots of their favorite trees, like willow, maple, poplar, beech, birch, alder and aspen trees.
The Long Road to Waterloo Bridge
When I saw “replacement” of the circa 1878 Waterloo Bridge—the oldest metal truss bridge still in service in Virginia at the time—on the Fauquier County Transportation Committee agenda back in October 2013, I knew exactly who to turn to.

Scenic Rivers in the Piedmont – A StoryMap
In 2020, the state of Virginia commemorates 50 years of dedication and commitment to the conservation of Virginia’s water resources through the Virginia Scenic Rivers Program. In honor of that anniversary, PEC Fellowship program participants, Meredith Hickman and David Malcolm, created a StoryMap that celebrates the ten designated scenic rivers in The Piedmont Environmental Council’s region.