Remembering Celia: Honoring one of Madison County’s 2012 easement donors
Celia Porter Dollarhide (January 1940 — December 2012) and her siblings never quite had a hometown. Their father, Robert Porter, Jr., was a general in the U.S. army and the family moved often. So, when …
Uranium Mining: Going…Going…Gone?
In 2007, Virginia Uranium, Inc. (VUI) made their intentions clear: they were going to persuade lawmakers to lift the Commonwealth’s standing moratorium on uranium mining and milling. The company had their eyes set on a …
Nature’s Extravaganza!
It might be hard to believe with daffodils and pansies struggling to stand tall in the snow just last week, but we have it on good authority that spring really will be with us soon …
Discovering Local Food
In my role as the Buy Fresh Buy Local Coordinator for The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC), local food is an everyday topic of conversation. From broader discussions on how to encourage larger institutions to purchase …
Orange County Unveils Sprawling Vision
Just last week, the County Planning Commission put out a pretty shocking map. The maps and accompanying lays out what Orange would look like in 2025 — including major development along Route 20 and increased …
The Future of Albemarle County
We had a great response to the update I gave last week about the Western Bypass, with more than 140 people already sending emails to our U.S. Senators with their concerns. I encourage you to …
Building a Home for Wildlife: Houses, Nests, & More
Just like humans, wildlife species have four primary needs to survive: food, water, shelter and space. These four components form the basis of wildlife habitat, and each species fulfills these needs differently. Yet, for all …
Rt. 29 Western Bypass Not Shovel Ready
When it comes to the Western Bypass, I feel like I’ve been jumping up and down for a while, trying to get the decision-makers to pay attention. But quite recently, a number of things have …
2013 Land Conservation Update
This annual publication highlights some of the new opportunities that are available to land owners this year. Articles include Expanded Land Conservation Incentives in 2013, PEC's Sustainable Habitat Program, and Continuing a Legacy of Conservation …
Impacts and links to VDOT presentations
Transportation infrastructure is critical to our region and our economy, and yet funding for existing and new roads is limited. PEC and our partners have consistently called for a "Fix it first" approach to ensure …
