inFauquier Fall 2019

FALL 2019

Conservation Conversation Protect and preserve Learn how Fauquier County leads the charge to steward and protect our undeveloped horizons

Inside

Say what?

Hear the voices behind preserving paradise Hunters & fishermen: Saving more than they harvest

Alex Wood 540.222.7700

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Dink Godfrey 540.270.5779

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Don Robertson 540.229.3825

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85 Garrett Street - Warrenton, VA 20186 - 540.349.1221 8078 Crescent Park Dr. #205 - Gainesville, VA 20155 - 703.753.7910 2

FALL 2019

IN THE

Fall 2019 – Conservation Conversation

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56

PHOTO BY SAWYER GUINN

LIFE & STYLE

20 How it all started - fast track to preservation 26 Conservation Conversation: We’re all ears 29 Legislative scorecard 31 Hunters: Vanguard to preserve paradise 36 Growing pains for hemp?

PHOTO BY BETSY BURKE PARKER

FACES & PLACES

61 PHOTO BY RANDY LITZINGER

FARE & FLAIR

51 Head into the wild woods of Warrenton to trace nature’s trail (and unearth a surprising history)

57 We’re going native, and so can you

54 Meet one of the masterminds behind the Mosby Heritage Area Association, Childs Burden

61 Discover local eco-products

39 Demystify the comprehensive plan

55 Seeds of change with ACRE

47 Join the Citizen Scientists for research

56 A family farm story

60 Royal flush: Household tips that help the earth (and your wallet)

62 Gamebirds make a huge comeback in the region 64 Spice up your beer this season with pumpkin, and more

EXTR AS

ON THE COVER

■ County tidbits .................................... 8 ■ Conservation map ........................... 12 ■ Side-by-side ..................................... 16 ■ The Last Word ................................. 66

Cover photographer Randy Litzinger perfectly captured the essence of Fauquier’s own 2018 Tree Farmer of the Year, Camillia Blackwell-Taffel, admiring the southern Fauquier woodlands that have been owned by her family for decades. Randy says the Indian summer afternoon light was perfect to capture Camillia’s ongoing fascination with all things forest, and he didn’t need any extra strobes. The filtered sunshine through the pines loans a glow to the longtime tree farmer, Randy adds, and the nearly mature forest proves a handsome, natural backdrop.

“It was one of those rare times that everything came together just right,” says Randy.

“Camillia was great to work with.”

Cover designer Sawyer Guinn pulled it all together by including a “sign” of the times stylized from his shot of a Thompson Wildlife Management Area post, and from a photo of the Fauquier Times’ very own slice of history, a sliver from the ancient elm tree felled earlier this year from in front of the original courthouse on Main Street in PHOTO BY CHRIS CERRONE Warrenton.

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Contributors: stewarding at the micro level Published quarterly by Piedmont Media Address 41 Culpeper Street Warrenton, VA 20186 Phone: 540-347-4222 Fax: 540-349-8676 Publisher: Catherine M. Nelson cnelson@fauquier.com Editor: Betsy Burke Parker betsyburkeparker@gmail.com Managing editor: Robin Earl rearl@fauquier.com Advertising Call 540-347-4222 Consultants: Anthony Haugan ahaugan@fauquier.com Renee Ellis rellis@fauquier.com Patti Engle pengle@fauquier.com Tony Ford tford@fauquier.com Laura Rehaluk lrehaluk@fauquier.com Rebecca Rosa rrosa@fauquier.com Marie Rossi mrossi@fauquier.com Design Production designer: Sawyer Guinn sguinn@fauquier.com Ad designers: Vincent Sales vsales@fauquier.com Cindy Goff cgoff@fauquier.com Annamaria Ward award@fauquier.com

Preserve and conserve? Protect and caretake? From the macro to the micro, hear how our contributors bring beauty to the world.

From buying organic produce and meats and supporting the local farmers market, writer Sandy Greeley is “an advocate of supporting our environment organically without contaminating our farmlands.”

From turning off the water when she brushes her teeth to leaving unmown areas for habitat cover around her farm, Betsy Burke Parker says she’s become more aware of the importance of “thinking globally, acting locally,” especially after putting the Conservation Conversation issue together.

Writer and graphic designer Mara Seaforest says she was brought up to believe that nature is literally sacred, and she’s never lost that faith. She values living in the most conserved county in Virginia, and “strives to leave even more of it protected for future generations.”

While reporting on land preservation in Fauquier, writer Pat Reilly realized she needed to put a conservation easement on her farm. “Maybe no battles were fought there, but people have been living their dreams on it since at least 1800,” she says.

Alissa Jones is a freelance writer, ministry graduate and published author. Alissa says she “does her part to conserve water by timing her showers” and recently started bringing her own bags to the grocery store.

Residential Sales & Property Management

Freelance photographer Randy Litzinger likes to leave clover in his front and back yards to help local bees and the ecosystem.

“To the chagrin of my HOA.” Dedicated trail rider and fisherman, New York City writer-editor Steve Price views with concern the commercial exploitation of fields and streams and their flora and fauna. To stem and to reverse this trend, Steve supports the work of outdoors conservation and preservation organizations and, whenever and wherever possible, shares with younger generations the joys and fragility of the natural world. inFauquier designer Sawyer Guinn watched his childhood haunts full of deer trails and turkey roosts get replaced by suburbia, and, he says, has since dedicated his life to what he calls “the wildplaces.” From board meetings of outdoor non-profits to always leaving a trail cleaner than when he arrived, he figures “stewardship of the natural world is in my DNA.” A writer and photographer, Pam Owen’s first love was nature. She’s volunteered or worked professionally with conservation organizations and helped found Old Rag Master Naturalists. Her favorite quote is by E. O. Wilson: “Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive and even spiritual satisfaction.”

Amateur photographer Chris Cerrone says he tries to leave a light impression wherever he walks. “There’s something to be said for being a caretaker instead of just a taker.”

Always ready to pick up litter that collects along the scenic roads he loves to run, Middleburg educator and beer expert John Daum is also a big fan of supporting local businesses. He tries to never drink beer produced outside a 50-mile radius of Fauquier.

Hope Porter has spent her lifetime dedicated to protecting open space.

Botanist, environmental engineer and master gardener Sally Harmon Semple has devoted her occupation and avocation to conservation of the natural environment, from drafting national environmental policy, voicing grass root support for sustainable land use zoning to restoring native plant populations.

Small ways can add up: A coffee drinker and K-Cup user, there are now biodegradable pods that are Keurig friendly in the Piedmont Media newsroom, thanks to community editor Anita Sherman. “I appreciate the visionaries that created this county with its open spaces...what a gift to live here.”

Former engineer, author and founder of two hunting magazines, Norman Fine relishes the natural world. “For more years than I can remember, whenever I spy a beautiful big spread of open country while driving, I fantasize what it would be like to gallop over it,” he says. “When I ride past an enormous sycamore tree near the Shenandoah, I try to imagine how it looked when George Washington hacked by. Without active conservation efforts, it’s gone.”

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FALL 2019

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Ad deadline: October 17 • Publishes: October 23 For more information contact your advertising media consultant at

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sales@fauquier.com www.fauquier.com FALL 2019

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Learn to love the land

Fauquier is the envy of the commonwealth, thanks to the scrupulous stewards of the county

“

PHOTO BY GOMER PYLES

I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place would be proud of him.

- Abraham Lincoln

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FALL 2019

I grew up on a dirt road. I know, now, that the country lane was more correctly termed a gravel road, but that’s what the next-door dairy farmer called it, a dirt road, so that was that. It was quiet, it was rural, it was a great place to grow up in middle Tennessee, serene and peaceful. My parents – each a product of big city suburbs – had chosen the country life before they married and embraced both land and lifestyle as their family grew.

When a neighbor told me recently about someone lobbying to get their gravel road paved here in Fauquier, it teleported me right back to my youth. I remember walking with the farm dogs all the way to Liberty Church by myself, right down the middle of the little-traveled road. I felt like I needed a sherpa, but in reality it was maybe a halfmile. I’d go the other direction with my fishing pole, proudly hoisting the smallmouth bass I’d hooked to show off to a single driver creeping past as I returned home. To be sure, my parents fussed about dust from the road that got in the house if we left the front door open, but they loved living on a dirt road as much as my sister and I did.

When I heard about the new residents agitating to pave the nearby rural road, it made me sad to think that someone would move into an area and demand change. My friend said she was gentle when they solicited her signature for a DOT petition. “They knew it was a gravel road when they bought their land,” she said with a sigh. “They knew it was a gravel road the last three years while they’re planning and building their house. Why do people do that? We like it the way it is.”

debted

It begs a bigger question that’s nagged Fauquier for decades: How does a county within commuting distance of the nation’s capital balance growth and conservation? How do the citizens retain their property-owning rights while staying sensitive to the greater good?

How do we balance the desires of the been-heres with the wishes of the come-heres? inFauquier’s writing and photo team made the queries, and unearthed a lot of answers, for this inaugural Conservation Conversation issue.

To be sure, it was hard going, since every time you thought you understood an issue – sliding scale zoning, for instance, or the innovative purchase of development rights program – an interview with an expert would generate as many questions as it answered. Turns out, there are layers upon layers of preservation tools at work here, all designed to keeping Fauquier, well, Fauquier. Open, protected, rural – those were the buzzwords mentioned again and again.

From the dozens of sources we talked to, not a single person was “against” conservation of the county’s largely rural nature. Of course, a few points bring up fractious discourse since there are differing views of how to best achieve the same thing, but, everyone agrees, retaining the look and feel of this area is tantamount.

Inside, you’ll hear the fairy godmother of land conservation in the area, Hope Porter, bring to life her memories of the Bethel valley, and Mara Seaforest does her best to untangle the hemp situation. Pat Reilly introduces us to history expert Childs Burden, and Pam Owen goes out to meet the army of citizen scientists that provide a critical link from boots on the ground to policy decisions.

Visitors to the area have long been entranced by the serenity of the landscape, vibrancy of the small towns and beauty of the countryside. Residents speak of a heartfelt sense of place and home that the arcadian setting engenders. By working together, we confirmed, this helps ensure that Fauquier will remain Fauquier.

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FALL 2019

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COUNTY TIDBITS

Fun for fall Fauquier’s full of it this season There's so much to do here this autumn, and our list is but a starting point.

Not many plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday activities were released at press time, but more get added daily at fauquier.com.

Free soil testing

Thanks to a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund, the local Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District is offering free soil tests for area landowners.

The goal of testing is to better inform property owners on the use of fertilizer and other soil amendments for healthier land and cleaner water. culpeperswcd.org

Nature Conservancy – Doing its part to protect Virginia’s open land

The Charlottesville-based Nature Conservancy purchased 153,000 acres of Appalachian Mountain property to protect rivers, wildlife and forests while continuing to provide recreation in the area.

Part of the organization’s 253,000acre Cumberland Forest Project that encompasses acreage in Tennessee and Kentucky as well, the huge parcel is north of the Clinch River and northeast of the Jefferson National Forest near Wise.

Combined with state and national forests and private conservation easements, the Cumberland Forest Project properties form an Appalachian Mountain corridor that Nature Conservancy officials say acts as a migration highway for wildlife and a home for climate change-resilient forests.

The property has 700 miles of headwater for the Clinch, Cumberland, Ohio and Tennessee rivers.

Local school’s habitat honored

by National Wildlife Federation

The Middleburg Montessori School received certification from the National Wildlife Federation for their “Certified Schoolyard Habitat,” one of more than 5,000 schools nationwide that have transformed part of their campuses to wildlife habitat. Students created a pollinator garden, a native plant garden and a wetlands area along with a vegetable garden.

Learn how: ‘Growing Beautiful Food’ book talk

The Piedmont Garden Club hosts a lecture and lunch with “Growing Beautiful Food” author Matthew Benson Oct. 8 at the Middleburg Community Center.

Benson will discuss practices of farming “as an art form and as nourishment” as well as what he calls the “broken politics of our current food system.” piedmontgardenclub.org

Want better health (mental, emotional, physical)? Hug a tree.

In recent years, multiple scientific studies have proven that living in areas with abundant green space is linked to good health, including heart health, cognitive development and overall longevity.

Conference: Women in Farming seminar Oct. 25 in Madison

The American Farmland Trust will host a women farmers’ conference Oct. 25 in Gordonsville. Lectures center on accessing conservation programs and new farming practices.

American Farmland Trust, the organization behind the “No Farms, No Food” movement, is running the conference through their Mid-Atlantic office.

The trust was founded in 1980, and since has put agricultural easements on more than 6.5 million acres.

“Women reported taking action as a result of attending these sessions previously,” says AFT’s Mid-Atlantic director, Caroline Wade. “We were thrilled to learn 72 percent of the women who attended learning circles were inspired to take action,” planting cover crops, using rotational grazing practices or other conservation measures.

Nearly 301 million acres of U.S. land – about a third of the nation’s farms – are farmed or co-farmed by women, with 87 million additional acres owned by women. farmland.org 8

FALL 2019

Conservationists of the year honored Land Trust of Virginia held its 21st annual garden party and conservation awards at historic Hickory Tree Farm earlier this year.

Harry Atherton was honored as one of LTV’s conservationists of the year. Atherton served on Fauquier’s planning commission for 18 years, on the county’s board of supervisors for eight years and as its chairman for three.

Atherton helped protect Fauquier’s countryside with sliding scale zoning, a purchase of development rights program and conservation ease-

ments. Fauquier has the highest number of privately protected properties and the highest percentage of privately protected land of any county in Virginia.

Loudoun resident Al Van Huyck was also recognized.

Board chair Christopher Dematatis said Fauquier ranks second, with 4,784 acres, behind Loudoun County – 8,679 acres – in Virginia for acres protected by LTV easements. landtrustva.org

More specifically, new research points to higher levels of wellness in areas marked by one particular shade of green: deciduous trees.

“Protection and restoration of urban tree canopy specifically, rather than any urban greening, may be a good option for promotion of community mental health,” wrote Thomas Astell-Burt in a University of New South Wales study published in the JAMA journal.

The study featured nearly 50,000 older adults, with participants asked to self-report their own overall health – including diagnosis of anxiety and depression, over a 10-year period.

Answers were overlaid on a geographical map showing population density, and, using satellite imagery, researchers calculated both the percentage of total green space and tree canopy.

After taking into account variables such as the participants’ age, gender, education and household income, researchers confirmed that “total green space appeared to be associated with lower odds of incident psychological distress.”

Areas where 30 percent or more

of outdoor space covered with tree canopy was associated with 31 percent lower odds of psychological distress, compared to people living in areas with no to little tree canopy.

Absence of trees means elevated temperatures, higher noise levels and more perceived – or real – air pollution, and therefore higher incidence of anxiety and depression.

Results prove the benefits of natural shade, and suggest that the love of trees may be biologically driven. An area’s leafiness is worth keeping in mind when deciding where to put down roots.

Blue Ridge Conservation Alliance meet-up

Nearly 30 area conservation groups and land trusts gathered earlier this year at Winchester’s Shenandoah University for the annual Blue Ridge Conservation Alliance.

Discussion centered on cooperation and collaboration to protect what is considered one of the most threatened mountain landscapes in the east.

The Blue Ridge Conservation Alliance is

Rady Park Arboretum celebrates 20 years

The Virginia Cooperative Extension and Fauquier Master Gardeners invite the public to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Arboretum at Rady Park starting at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 13.

The Rady Park Arboretum was established in 1999 funded in part by a grant from the Virginia Department of Forestry. The park showcases 50 hardy alternatives to common landscape trees and shrubs and provides visitors with an educational opportunity to learn best horticultural practices in our area.

Plants are labeled with QR codes linked to a website with detailed information on the various plants. Master Gardeners hosts special programs at the park throughout the year and are available most Tuesday mornings to answer questions. plantsmap.com.

COUNTY TIDBITS Breast cancer awareness month Clergy appreciation month Country ham month National diabetes month National pizza month Oct. 14 – Columbus Day Oct. 31 – Halloween

November is: October is:

Adopt a shelter dog month

a network of partners working to protect the natural, scenic and historic values of the Virginia piedmont landscape, to conserve land, safeguard watersheds and preserve the historic landscape along the Appalachian Trail corridor and the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.

Representatives of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Land Trust of Virginia, Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, Piedmont Environmental Council, Virginia Working Landscapes and Berryville-based Downstream Project make up the steering committee. blueridgeconservation.org

Best Management Practices program worth $73M

The Virginia Agricultural Best Management Practices program, a cost-share program that provides assistance to farmers, is worth $73 million for 2020.

The state funding represents the largest-ever investment in supporting farmers and farmland.

“This historic investment is exactly the type of commitment we need to ensure more producers can participate in the Commonwealth’s cost-share program to implement conservation practices and continue improving water quality in Virginia,” said Gov. Ralph Northam in a release. “Whether growing crops, raising cattle or producing poultry, agricultural best management practices are important tools that can benefit Virginia farms while also helping keep pollution out of our streams.”

BMPs were first instituted in 1984.

Included programs include livestock and poultry waste management, soil erosion control, nutrient and sediment filtration and detention, nutrient management and pest management.

Fencing to keep cattle out of streams – which directly affects the Chesapeake Bay watershed, animalwaste storage and riparian buffers have clear benefits for water quality and the bottom line for farmers. dcr.virginia.gov

Farm to School Program – We all win

The Department of Agriculture

More TIDBITS, page 10

Native American Heritage month Model railroad month Peanut butter lovers month Adoption awareness month

Sept. 28

Nov. 1 – All Saint’s Day Nov. 2 – All Soul’s Day Nov. 3 – Daylight savings time ends Nov. 6 – Election Day Nov. 11 – Veterans Day Nov. 28 – Thanksgiving Day

December is:

Spiritual literacy month Bingo month Dec. 7 – Pearl Harbor Day Dec. 21 – Winter begins Dec. 22 – Hanukkah begins

Mark the calendar

National Public Lands Day Sky Meadows State Park Paris dcr.virginia.gov Sporting clay shoot Granville Farm, Warrenton Benefits Boys and Girls Clubs iziluca@aol.com Stribling Orchard 200th anniversary celebration Family legacy day, with events also planned Oct. 5 and Oct. 19 Markham stribingorchard.com

Pick-your-own this season

Fall crops can be picked around here September through November, and depending on our killing frost date, sometimes a little later. From apples to corn to pumpkins to cider, here’s a guide to stock your pantry for fall.

Oct. 19

Hartland Orchard

Oct. 26

Hollin Farms

Oct. 27

Seven Oaks Lavender Farm

Oct. 31

Stribling Orchard

Panning for gold Monroe Park, Goldvein fauquiercounty.gov

Weekends in November

Valley View Farm and Orchard

Oct. 6

Nov. 2 and 30

Apple Manor Farm

Fall harvest days Ayrshire Farm, Upperville visitfauquier.com

Astronomy viewing sessions Crockett Park, Midland fauquiercounty.gov

Oct. 11-12

Nov. 4

Farmers markets

Weekends in October

Flying Circus airshows Bealeton flyingcircusairshow.com

Oct. 4

First Friday Old Town Warrenton oldtownwarrenton.org

Oct. 5

Museum open house Elk Run Church, Midland fauquiercounty.gov

Oct. 5

Howl-O-Ween party Northern Fauquier Community Park, Marshall International Gold Cup Great Meadow, The Plains vagoldcup.com Learn to take flawless fall photos Crockett Park, Midland fauquiercounty.gov Fall festival Messick’s Farm Market, Bealeton messicksfarmmarket.com Middleburg Ghost Tours middleburgghosttours.com

Markham 540-364-2316 hartlandorchard.com Delaplane 540-592-3701 hollinfarms.com Catlett 540-272-7839 sevenoakslavenderfarm.com Markham 540-364-3040 striblingorchard.com Delaplane valleyviewfarmva.com Markham 571-296-3787 applemanorfarm.com

Homesteading conference and fair Warren Fairgrounds, Front Royal homesteaderofamerica.com

Women’s self-defense workshop Marshall Community Center fauquiercounty.gov

Archwood Green Barns

Oct. 12

Nov. 14

Buckland Farm Market

38th annual Remington Fall Festival fauquiercounty.gov 24th Fauquier Fall Farm Tour fauquierag.com

Fall flower arranging workshop Marshall Community Center fauquiercounty.gov

Oct. 18 to 19, 25 to 26 Warrenton Ghost Tours fauquierhistory.org

Turkey Trot 5k Remington visitfauquier.com

Oct. 19

Dec. 5

Tree identification hike Northern Fauquier Park, Marshall fauquiercounty.gov

Nov. 23

Holiday wreath-making workshop Warrenton Community Center fauquiercounty.gov

The Plains Sundays through November New Baltimore Year-round

Messick’s Farm Market Catlett Year-round

Warrenton Farmers Market Wednesdays and Saturdays through November

TIDBITS PHOTOS by RANDY LITZINGER, CHRIS CERRONE, CINDY GOFF and SAWYER GUINN

FALL 2019

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COUNTY TIDBITS TIDBITS, from page 9 granted $9 million to the “Farm to School Program” to increase the amount of locally grown vegetables, fruits and meat served in schools, at the same time driving sales opportunities for nearby farmers.

Grants will fund school gardens and field trips to local farms and producers.

Ag: No. 1 in Virginia

A breakdown of the number of farms and farmers in each congressional district in the nation was released recently by the Department of Agriculture.

“The census shows that agriculture is the largest industry in Virginia,” says Ben Rowe of Virginia Farm Bureau.

Farming and forestry in Virginia have a total economic impact of $91 billion.

Lighten up

Virginia’s interstate system is getting an upgrade, with more than 10,000 interstate streetlights being changed from traditional yellow-colored high-pressure

sodium lights to white LED lights.

LED lights use half the energy and last three to four times longer than sodium lights. The Virginia Department of Transportation estimates it will save $4.1 million over 15 years and provide clearer light to drivers.

The project was on hold after research showed certain types of LED lights affect nocturnal animals. At issue was the blue shade of the originally proposed lights; the new lights will be a soft white in color.

Iron Dog competition Sept. 28

Law enforcement, military and civilian K-9 teams will compete in the challenging Iron Dog contest Sept. 28 at Kettle Run High School south of Warrenton.

There will be food on the grounds, vendors and a raffle, and spectators are welcome to attend the free event. irondog2019.eventbrite.com

Expo shows deeps Fauquier’s deep farming roots

The first Fauquier County Agricultur-

al Expo was held this summer, with ag day camps, livestock shows, ag tech demos and exhibit contests. fauquieragexpo.com

Conservation winners

The John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District awards honor county conservationists each year. Last year’s winners included Dr. Bridgett McIntosh, who received the Edwin F. Gulick Conservation Educator award, Goose Creek Association, named as Conservation Partner, A and J Fencing, honored with the Conservation Contractor award, Husson Lewis Enterprises, winner of the Conservation Farm award, and Blue Ridge Farm for Local Clean Water Farm award.

Love your land: Learn how at Sept. 29 workshop

The Piedmont Environmental Council will have their seventh annual Sustainable Landscaping Workshop Sept. 29 at the PEC headquarters in Warrenton. The event is free but requires registration.

Local experts will lecture on sustainPHOTO BY SAWYER GUINN

Chesapeake Bay program highlights need for environmental education A conference at George Mason University earlier this year drew together environmental experts, cabinet level representatives from state government and policy makers from throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed to highlight challenges and explore solutions for educating secondary students to the conservation crisis.

Pamela Northam, wife of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, was keynote speaker. Other speakers were from NOAA, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Choose Clean Water Coalition, Chesapeake Bay Trust, Audubon Society and more.

The Chesapeake Bay Program, a regional partnership of federal, state and local governments, academic institutions and non-profit organizations, stresses that bay restoration depends on individuals and communities within the watershed.

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FALL 2019

The Chesapeake Bay watershed is home to 2.7 million students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Through the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C. have committed to helping their students graduate with the knowledge and skills needed to protect and restore their local watersheds.

“We have made significant strides in recent years getting students outside to spark wonder and ignite curiosity in the natural world, but we can do so much more,” Northam said. “It is imperative that we are thoughtful and strategic in reaching every student no matter who they are or where they live. The Governor and I are hopeful for the future of the Bay thanks to these dedicated leaders from Virginia, and beyond, who have joined us today. We each have a powerful opportunity in our states to reach and inspire the stewards of tomorrow.”

able practices. Guest speakers include Tim Ohwiler from Virginia Cooperative Extension, Jim McGlone from the Virginia Department of Forestry and Janet Davis from Hill House Nursery. pecva.org

Covering your bases (with cover crops)

The John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District is offering financial incentives for the 2020 cover crop program. Planting small grain cover crops like winter rye, wheat or barley helps reduce erosion, prevent nutrient loss and improve soil health during fall and winter.

540-347-3120

Powers Farm Brewery goes green(er)

A solar grant program has helped Powers Farm and Brewery near Casanova install a 22-kilowatt solar electricity generating system. With 36 panels on the main building’s roof and 40 panels on metal racking nearby, Kevin and Melody Powers hope to generate enough electricity to cover most of their demand.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture grant paid one-quarter of the $60,000 cost. Tax credits and monthly savings means the system should pay for itself in six years.

The organic farm includes three acres devoted to fruit and vegetable production for their community-supported agriculture subscribers. The Powers also sell produce to some restaurants and offer cut flowers. The brewery produces 250 to 300 barrels — or up to 9,450 gallons — of beer annually, almost all of it sold on the premises.

Powers Brewery opened in 2017.

The system includes two inverters that convert direct current from the panels to alternating current. When the installation generates more electricity than they need, surplus goes onto the grid and the farm gets energy credit.

Fauquier Climate Change Group

The Fauquier Climate Change Group meets the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Bistro on the Hill at Fauquier Hospital. Anyone interested in climate change is welcome to attend, with meetings offering ways individuals can make a difference in the health of the earth and the local community.

540-270-2950

Falling for farm life

Sky Meadows State Park in Paris has a series of “Fall Farm Days: Life on the Farm” events planned Oct. 12-13, Oct. 19-20 and Oct. 26-27. Experts will demonstrate and lecture on blacksmithing, cattle farming, corn harvest, hearth cooking and more. There will be Mount Bleak house tours, live music, food trucks, a kids’ play area and a pick-your-own pumpkin patch. dcr.virginia.gov

COUNTY TIDBITS

Conservation events this fall National Public Lands Day Environmental assembly at Sky Meadows Sept. 28 slated Oct. 11 to12 A special hike is planned Sept. 28 at Sky Meadows State Park near Paris.

Hikers will study ash borer damage and take a look at the park’s chestnut orchard grown in partnership with the American Chestnut Foundation’s Marshall office. dcr.virginia.gov

Farm conservation dinner Oct. 2

The Piedmont Environmental Council's Julian Scheer Fauquier Land Conservation Fund is hosting a picnic dinner and seminar Oct. 2 at Messick's Market in Bealeton. Farmers and landowners are invited to the free dinner event to learn about the variety of local conservation options available to them, such as conservation easements, purchase of development rights, farm plans, fencing cost-share, riparian buffers, habitat restoration and more.

The event includes a cookout dinner made with fresh, local food from Messick's Farm Market. pecva.org

The Virginia Environmental Assembly is Oct. 11-12 at Virginia Union University in Richmond. The event brings together conservation leaders from across Virginia to discuss protection of Virginia’s natural resources.

This annual conference is hosted

by Virginia Conservation Network, the partnership of more than 100 Virginia environmental organizations.

All groups will have information and membership details available.

The weekend will feature the work of local, state and national organizations’ efforts to address climate change, advance environmental justice, clean-up of the Chesapeake Bay, expand outdoor recreation opportunities and more. pecva.org

Community Farm opening Oct. 13

The Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows near Aldie opens Oct. 13 with a special day of events including live music, kids' games, food trucks and more.

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Our county, By the numbers Fauquier County is a unique and thriving locality, some 40 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. yet worlds apart in terms of open space and preserved viewsheds.

Wyoming might have the lowest density of people per square mile in the lower – 48 – six per square mile, but you could argue that Fauquier hits the sweet-spot in terms of location, accessibility and open space.

• There are 43 villages, eight service districts (Bealeton, Catlett, Marshall, Midland, New Baltimore, Opal, Remington and Warrenton) and three incorporated towns.

A walk in the park

With nearly 1,000 acres in parkland and 122 acres of water maintained

by Fauquier County Parks and Recreation, area residents can tap into recreation year-round.

• Academy Hill Park, Warrenton • Crockett Park, Midland • Eva Walker Park, Warrenton • John Marshall birthplace park, Midland • Lake Brittle, New Baltimore • Monroe Park, Goldvein • Northern Fauquier Community Park, Marshall • Rady Park, Warrenton • Riverside Preserve, Marshall • Sky Meadows, Paris • Upperville Park, Upperville • Whitney State Forest, Warrenton

• Service districts comprise less than 10 percent of county land, leaving the majority of Fauquier rural.

• Land area in square miles – 647.45 • Population per square mile – 100 (average in Virginia, overall, is more than 200) • Population – 69,465 (Virginia: 8,470,020) • Number of farms: 1,154 • Average farm size: 188 acres • Acres in farm production: 216,666 agcensus.usda.gov

At the heart of the matter

Fauquier County lies between the Federal capitol – Washington, D.C., and the Confederate capitol – Richmond. The occupation of Fauquier changed 67 times during the Civil War, 1861-1865. There are 12 named battlefield sites, plus countless encampments and dozens of skirmishes that took place in what’s come to be known as the “Hallowed Grounds.”

Engagements included:

• Rappahannock Station (as for Manassas, two distinct battles) • Thoroughfare Gap • Middleburg • Upperville • Auburn (two) • Buckland Mills • Catlett’s Station • Kelly’s Ford • Manassas Gap • Brandy Station

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SIDE BY SIDE: CONSERVATION CHEAT SHEET

Learning the lingo

There’s a lot to know Agricultural and forestal districts:

These are formed between adjacent landowners and the county to protect forests and farmland. They’re shortterm agreements but can be renewed indefinitely. Landowners agree not to develop their property for a certain period of time, usually eight years.

During this period of time, the property will be eligible for the land-use tax rate, if it is not already eligible.

Comprehensive plan:

Every locality in Virginia has its goals expressed in a comprehensive plan, a 20-year vision. Plans are reviewed, and can be revised, every five years. This provides structure for shaping the county’s future. Although plans are not legally binding, they are intended to guide local policy and serve as legal justification for decisions on proposed developments.

A comprehensive plan may include present and proposed land

PHOTO BY BETSY BURKE PARKER

The view from above Great Meadow, looking north, tells the story of Fauquier – open and preserved spaces benefit landowners, county residents and visitors. uses, transportation, community service facilities such as parks, schools, forests, hospitals, waterworks, sewage disposals and public buildings, historical areas and groundwater protection.

Fauquier’s comprehensive plan was adopted in 1967, citing a plan

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for “harmonious development, recognizing the necessity of natural resource protection, as well as the provision of adequate areas of growth for future populations.” It promoted growth patterns around existing towns and transportation corridors.

Conservation easements:

Oops!

They were off by 180K

The first county comprehensive plan was thorough, officials say, though it missed a few key points by a country mile, so to speak – it anticipated a Fauquier population of 76,000 in 1980-1985 and 235,000 by the year 2000. The actual population was 35,899 in 1980, 55,554 in 2000.

Land can be protected by donating a conservation easement, a legal agreement between a landowner and a government agency or a nonprofit organization placing permanent limits on future development of the property to protect conservation values. Each easement is unique, depending on the needs of the landowners and specific features of the property. Because conservation easements provide considerable public benefits, landowners become eligible for state and federal tax breaks.

market value tax for a certain number of years, depending on the locality.

Land use taxation:

This helps keep large parcels intact by allowing fewer building rights per acre for large tracts of land than for smaller tracts. The theory is that the larger the parcel, the more of an agricultural resource it represents and thus the potential for non-agricultural use should be more limited.

Some rural properties are sometimes taxed at their land use value instead of market value. This two-tier system makes sense for farmers and rural landowners because they make few demands for tax-funded services.

The program also makes sense for all county taxpayers, because if high taxes pressure farmers to develop their land, taxes increase for all. On average, residential properties cost localities more than they pay in taxes, while farms, forests and open space cost less than they pay in taxes.

On properties eligible for land use tax rates, houses, farm buildings and other structures are always taxed at standard market value. When a property is no longer in land use, the landowner must pay back the difference between use value tax and the fair

Service districts

Since 1967, the underpinning of the Fauquier County planning goal is to concentrate growth in service districts, urban growth areas with more intensive use and density. In order to support and promote growth, adequate public facilities and infrastructure, including public water and sewer, have been planned for service districts.

Sliding scale zoning:

Purchase of development rights:

Land conservation is supported by the purchase of development rights program which pays landowners to limit development potential of their land. The PDR allows farm owners to cash in some of the equity in their land without losing ownership.

Considering the potential savings in construction and maintenance of schools, roads and other public services, these programs also save localities more than they cost.

SIDE BY SIDE: CONSERVATION CHEAT SHEET

Alphabet soup

Members of more than 100 foundations, trusts and organizations are hard at work to protect Fauquier’s land and lifestyle.

The poster-child for land conservation and protection of resources for the entire U.S., Fauquier is clearly dedicated to keeping the county TURNER POND AT SKY MEADOWS open and rural, forever. Find listed organizations via internet search. • Trout Unlimited - Rapidan Chapter • Afro American Historical Association of Fauquier • American Battlefield Trust • American Bird Conservancy • American Chestnut Foundation • American Farmland Trust • Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Potomac Appalachian Trail Club • Audubon Society of Northern Virginia • Bird in the Hand • Blue Ridge Conservation Alliance • Blue Ridge Prism • Bull Run Mountains Conservancy • Center for Watershed Protection • Citizens for Fauquier County • Clifton Institute (previously Environmental Studies on the Piedmont) • Downstream Project • Environment Virginia • Farm Service Agency • Fauquier 4-H • Fauquier Education Farm • Fauquier Family Cemetery Foundation • Fauquier Future Farmers of America • Fauquier Heritage and Preservation Foundation • Fauquier Historical Society • Fauquier League for Agriculture and Conservation • Fauquier Outdoor Education Association • Fauquier Trails Coalition • Friends of the Rappahannock • Friends of the Rivers of Virginia • Garden Club of Virginia, Fauquier Garden Club, Warrenton Garden Club • Goose Creek Association • Great Meadow Foundation • Green Bow Foundation • Green Fence Conservation Trust

Hail the masters

Old Rag Master Naturalists offer training next March. The program is supported

by Virginia Tech. Master Naturalists work on citizen science projects, educational outreach to the community and help with conservation of natural resources and public lands.

Training includes geology, ecology, weather and forest management. oldragmasternaturalists.org

• Greentrees and ACRE • Historic Preservation Foundation • Historic Virginia Land Conservancy • John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District • Journey Through Hallowed Ground • Keep Fauquier Clean • Keep Virginia Beautiful • Land Trust Alliance • Land Trust of Virginia • Master Gardeners of Fauquier • Masters of Foxhounds Association • Mosby Heritage Area Association • National Register of Historic Places through the National Park Service • National Trust for Historic Preservation • Nature Conservancy • Northern Virginia Conservation Trust • Northern Virginia Conservation Trust • Old Dominion Conservation Education Foundation • Old Dominion Land Conservancy • Orlean Community Trail System • Phelps Wildlife Management Area • Piedmont Environmental Council • Preservation Virginia • Rainforest Trust • Raptor Conservancy of Virginia • RideFauquier • Scenic Virginia • Sierra Club, Virginia Chapter • Sky Meadows State Park • Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute - Virginia Working Landscapes • Southern Fauquier Historical Society • Sweet Virginia • Thompson Wildlife Management Area • Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation

• University of Virginia - Blandy Experimental Farm • USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service • Virginia Bluebird Society • Virginia Conservation Network • Virginia Conservation Police • Virginia Cooperative Extension • Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation • Virginia Department of Forestry • Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries

• Virginia Department of Historic Resources • Virginia Farm Bureau • Virginia League of Conservation Voters • Virginia Master Naturalists • Virginia Native Plant Society • Virginia Outdoors Foundation • Virginia Point-to-Point Foundation • Virginia Steeplechase Association • Virginia United Land Trusts • Virginia Wilderness Committee • Warrenton Antiquarian Society • Weston Wildlife Management Area • Wild Virginia • Wildlife Center of Virginia

We asked, she answered:

Amy Trotto explains how Citizens for Fauquier County is keeping the country in the county inFauquier: What exactly is Citizens for Fauquier County?

CFFC vice-president Amy Trotto: Fauquier has always been a rural, agricultural community and Citizens for Fauquier County is determined to keep it that way. CFFC is a non-profit committed to protecting the natural, historic and agricultural resources that make Fauquier unique.

Founded in 1968, CFFC is the oldest conservation group devoted exclusively to Fauquier.

I first learned about CFFC when working to oppose an application for a big box store “in my backyard.” Before then, I thought it was sheer luck that Fauquier remained a scenic, rural, small town community while counties around us became commuter-driven, overdeveloped and over-taxed. I quickly learned that luck has nothing to do with it. I decided I wanted to help CFFC preserve Fauquier’s future. inF: What is your role?

AT: This is my second year serving as vice president of the board. I’ve worked on committees focused on land use, membership, events, community service, preserving the historical significance of Vint Hill, drafting a farm winery ordinance and celebrating CFFC’s 50th anniversary. Board members are volunteers and come from all walks of life. inF: What has CFFC accomplished?

AT: For more than 50 years, CFFC has been on the forefront of every major conservation issue. (I think it’s telling that) light from strip malls and fast food signs have not overpowered our dark, nighttime skies. inF: How do we balance conservation and development?

AT: With careful planning, conservation and development can work together.

One example is at Vint Hill Farm Station. A developer envisions turning the barracks into small apartments while maintaining the exterior historical integrity of the buildings within the existing footprint. inF: What are conservation challenges going forward?

AT: As it was when CFFC started in the 1960s, our goal is preserving the county’s open space and rural lands. Back then, it was stopping a 10,000home subdivision at North Wales; today it’s to make sure that Fauquier continues to follow the comprehensive plan preserving the boundaries of service districts and protecting our agriculture and forestry industries. Commercial development belongs in service districts, where there is infrastructure to support it, not on farmland.

We need to continue to support Fauquier’s land conservation initiatives.

More than 100,000 acres have been protected in perpetuity, and more than 12,000 acres are included in the purchase of development rights program, more than any other county in the Commonwealth. citizensforfauquier.org FALL 2019

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Life &

THE WAY WE LIV

Leaders in preservation The citizens of Fauquier have made a model of conservation to be celebrated

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& Style

VE IN FAUQUIER

Inside this section: 影影 We asked, they answered.

Hear the actual conservation conversation 影影 Newly legal hemp is poised for agricultural bonanza

FALL 2019

21

FILE PHOTO

At most entry-points into Fauquier County, the countryside still stretches away from the eye in rippling farmland and scenic mountain vistas. But it nearly got away: if it wasn’t for a group of dedicated conservationists paying strict attention to county-level politics, 50 years ago a single proposed subdivision would have changed history.

PREVIOUS PAGE: An aerial shot of Marshall shows how the service district concept makes village infill, and conserved open space, parts of the preservation puzzle.

Hear the story of here: How it started In this tale of intrigue and suspense, Fauquier comes out a winner

By Lynn Medford

The land rolls gently as far as the eye can see in Fauquier County. Vast green pastures frame farmhouses, silos and historic homes. Cattle, sheep and horses graze in fields encircled with black board fencing. Woodlands of oak, hickory and sycamore are fed by creeks and springs. Birdsong is clear and constant.

In Carters Run Valley, tucked behind a bend in the road just south of roaring I-66, the land has been farmed for 200 years. There are no towns and little traffic. The valley looks much the way it did when George Washington’s nephew, John Augustine Washington, moved in to Waveland in 1859. The estate is named for the undulating fields.

A full 90 percent of Fauquier County is agricultural or forested, even in 2019, still bucolic against the ever-present encroachment of development.

This is not by accident.

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Nor was it easy.

Fauquier, 50 miles north to south, sits in the direct path of Washington’s unfolding suburban sprawl. Nearby counties have been swamped.

Prince William’s dairy herds have largely vanished; that county now has the second highest population in the state, 463,000. Neighboring Loudoun is the fastest growing county in the U.S. – 380,000 at last count.

Fauquier is home to just 70,675.

Fifty years ago, when a city planner predicted that the county’s population would hit 235,000 by 2000, concerned citizens launched into action to make sure that prediction would not come true, that the rural beauty would remain.

The activist group Mid-Fauquier Association, today called Citizens for Fauquier County, was created to ensure it.

Some fought against the development that would push taxes higher to pay for new schools and more roads that families would lose homes they’d lived in for generations.

Some fought for environmental reasons. Many simply could not bear to lose the pristine countryside.

Likewise, citizens who favored growth, who believed burgeoning populations brought money and progress, banded together. They accused preservationists of being wealthy snobs

with selfish interests. The fights between what became known as “slow-growthers” and “progrowthers” turned bitter many times, and has lasted decades.

Some battles raged to the state level. Del. James M. Scott of Fairfax tried mightily to kill a critical special exception ordinance Fauquier used to control growth.

Protracted debates have been held over who would pay for growth – taxpayers or developers, and where growth should occur. Dense population largely has been concentrated around the county seat of Warrenton and in the northeast around New Baltimore. A miraculous 97,000 acres have been protected forever by conservation easement.

Despite doomsayers’ fears, the economy has not suffered under controlled growth: Median household income is more than $94,000. Land prices did not fall: Fauquier showed that the more protected land is, the higher its value becomes.

The battle joined

It all began after World War II. The custom of building house by house, as populations grew, changed to building subdivision by subdivision.

Subdivisions sprang up wherever a speculator could lay hands on land, with little thought of the consequences.

At that time, developers, real estate agents

and people who wanted to preserve farmland were all neophytes — there were no experts.

Both sides probed to see how far the law would permit them to go. In Virginia, it did not let preservationists go far.

Virginia is a “Dillon Rule” state, one of six in the nation, under which counties must obtain enabling legislation from the state for all local laws.

Some Virginians coveted Maryland’s Adequate Public Facilities ordinance, which gave a county the ability to deny a subdivision based on inadequate public facilities, particularly roads. But in Virginia, the proposal was blocked.

As land use emerged as the most important issue facing Fauquier, it became clear that the most important elections would be to the Board of Supervisors. Real estate became the driving force in the economy. Where Fauquier had three or four real estate agents before the war, soon after it had 300.

The value of the best farmland, which had

remained steady for a hundred years at $100 an acre, started an inexorable rise to where it is today — an average $7,700 an acre. Property taxes rose in lockstep with residential development.

In the early 1950s, a few small subdivisions cropped up in the northeast, the area most accessible to people who worked in Washington. This growth was occurring in an area of not particularly good farmland and outside the territories of the county’s five foxhunts, so there was little resistance.

However, a thought occurred to one of the new breed of “commuters” as he made his three-hour round trip to his job at the Maryland-National Capital Planning Commission in Silver Spring: There would soon be thousands like him, willing to trade inconvenience for the pleasure of living in the beautiful countryside. Fauquier’s farmland was in jeopardy, he realized.

The commuter – William Burrage, a city planner – went to the Fauquier Board of Supervisors.

As a result, a planning commission was appointed, and its first action was to blanket the county with one-acre zoning, meaning no more than one house could be built per acre.

In the late 1950s, the establishment of Warrenton Lakes, a large subdivision of 500 houses, covering what had been open farm fields between Blackwell Road and U.S. 29 east of Warrenton, came as a shock to nearby landowners. But it went largely unnoticed by the rest of the county.

With pressure on the land mounting, a couple of attempts were made to form conservation associations. But some were quickly taken over by pro-growth real estate investors, led behind the scenes by Philip Nelson. He was a Williamsburg contractor who had come to work for auto magnate Walter Chrysler Jr. on his massive North Wales estate.

Preservationists’ next wake-up call came when developer Alexander “Buddy” Yurgaitis proposed a 150lot subdivision on the old Bethel Military Academy property, at the western end of Route 605 at Blantyre Road, which he had purchased in 1959. He requested special exception for half-acre lots with septic tanks that drained directly into Warrenton’s reservoir.

It passed.

For preservationists, it became abundantly clear that Fauquier had no time to lose in securing its farmland. They managed to delay the sale of the lots but only into 1960. Murdock Head, a doctor, fought back by buying two adjacent farms, Airlie and Leny Manor (today’s International House, home of the Rainforest Trust), and situating a hog farm directly across from the future subdivision.

A grand jury accused him of being a public nuisance, but the charges were later dropped though a Washington Post editorial, under the heading “Oink Oink,” suggested that “…a few grunts today may save Fauquier County groans in the future.”

The North Wales affair

PHOTO BY ROBIN EARL

Service districts funnel new development into the towns, like the Winchester Chase subdivision in Warrenton.

Around this time, the Fauquier Board of Supervisors decided to begin work on a “comprehensive plan” to guide development. Rosser Payne, head of the Master Plan Division of the Fairfax planning department, took on the job in his spare time for $5,000 a year, all that the supervisors felt the county could afford. It took seven years for the plan to be formed and adopted.

The comprehensive plan, which was to be revised every five years, was based on geology: Fauquier divides roughly in the middle. The northwestern half has steep slopes, erodible red clay soils and underground water flowing through crevices; the southeastern half has relatively flat land, sandy soils and underground water in aquifers. The northwestern half, needing more protection, was to be limited to no more than one house per five acres, and the southeastern zone would have no more than one house per two acres.

Based on Payne’s prediction that Fauquier’s population would grow from 21,000 to 235,000, a third of the county was designated “service districts” and zoned one acre. These residential and commercial areas were strung along existing major roads. Eight service districts were established: Bealeton, Catlett, Midland and Remington in the south, Opal and Warrenton in the center, Marshall in the north and New Baltimore in the direct line of fire to commuters.

See HERE, page 24

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23

HERE, from page 23 Payne completed the comprehensive plan in a dead heat with the arrival of John Cooper, a wealthy developer from Arkansas who in 1967 bought the fabled 4,200-acre North Wales estate. The estate, stretching from the fringes of Warrenton west to the Rappahannock River, was revered for its rolling farmlands, 1776 mansion and formal gardens.

Cooper planned 10,000 houses. North Wales subdivision would have more than doubled the county’s entire population of 26,000.

His plan sparked a titanic battle between progrowthers and slow-growthers.

North Wales development was welcomed by those who believed that a 100-acre farm divided into 100 one-acre lots produces more in real estate taxes than a 100-acre farm in one piece. No thought was given to the costs of providing roads, water, power and education to the families who would live in those 100 houses.

Determined preservationists went to work, forming the Mid-Fauquier Association and the Fauquier Protective Association. The latter was founded by advertising executive Bill Backer, lawyer Francis Greene and landowner Prentiss Porter.

The so-called North Wales affair marked the end of Fauquier’s political “age of innocence,” when citizens believed public officials were motivated only by public altruism.

Cooper was alarmed when he realized that North Wales was located in the five-acre Northwestern zone in the soon-to-be adopted comprehensive clan. But Cooper was told not to worry — the matter would be taken care of.

When the comprehensive plan was unveiled at a public hearing, the Northwestern boundary had been moved. U.S. 211, rather than U.S. 17, had be-

come the line between the Northwestern and the Southeastern zones – North Wales had gone from five-acre zoning to two-acre.

It was a change no one at the hearing noticed.

When they finally did, there were red faces and reasons given, but it was soon rectified: five-acreper-house zoning returned.

The board of supervisors approved North Wales, though in the end, Cooper abandoned it because of the prohibitive cost of building roads.

He sold off edges of the estate in 50- and 100-acre parcels. In 1997, Culpeper farm owners Mike and Patricia Prentiss bought 1,500 acres and placed them under permanent protection.

Getting a grip on growth

The 1972 board of supervisors election was a victory for slow-growthers, and Fauquier became one of the first counties to adopt the state’s new Land Use Tax whereby land is taxed by what it will earn as farmland, as opposed to what it would be worth for development. This critical measure gave farmland the protection of lower taxes.

During the ‘70s, rural land, primarily farmland, was being consumed at an alarming pace by subdivisions of five, 10 and 15 acres. With the help of the planning commission and the board of supervisors, director of planning Dick McNear set out to remedy this problem. Rural zoning and subdivision structure was adopted. This consists of two principal aspects – sliding-scale zoning, where larger properties have less per-acre development density, and a cluster requirement, where 85 percent of a rural subdivision must remain in permanent open space and only 15 percent used for development.

A lesson learned is that property owners pay dearly for rampant residential growth that creates needs for new roads, new schools, more libraries,

Winning with Citizens for Fauquier County and the Piedmont Environmental Council • BLOCKED: Disney theme park • BLOCKED: A wood treatment plant in Bealeton • BLOCKED: The Thoroughfare Gap interchange on I-66 • BLOCKED: Western bypass at Warrenton (so far) • BLOCKED: Moving county offices out of Warrenton • BLOCKED: A $14 million jail at Corral Farm (Fauquier joined a regional facility in Winchester instead) • BLOCKED: A proposed Auburn Dam on Cedar Run • BLOCKED: A 17-mile sewer line from Vint Hill to Remington • BLOCKED: A shopping center at Old Tavern • BLOCKED: Efforts to dismantle the planning commission and gut zoning and subdivision ordinances (for the most part) new sewer systems, more firefighters, more police and larger county government. Today it takes a house assessed at around $700,000 to pay enough in real estate taxes to cover the cost of the services the county is required to provide for it, according to the Fauquier commissioner of revenue.

Many lessons were learned on the way, but above all this one: It matters critically for whom you vote. Who controlled the board of supervisors was all it took to transform Loudoun from a county that looked exactly like Fauquier into the nation’s fastest-growing D.C. suburb.

Fifty years ago, Fauquier discovered that the one essential ingredient for combating suburban sprawl was political will. Today, it is safe to say love for the land ensures it will prevail.

PHOTO BY LEET MELBROOK

In 1957, land planner Spencer Sanders, left, and planning director William Burrage discuss conservation and development at a meeting at the Indian Spring Country Club.

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Fauquier County is considered a national model of conservation success. But it wasn’t by accident, and it hasn’t been easy to keep it going. Development pressures, mostly from outside the county, continue to threaten, but the home team stands strong to protect what’s become the national model for steadfast policy.

Listen in as a county-wide panel of experts representing a wide variety of sectors weighs in on protecting their home turf. **Hear more of the Conservation Conversation on page 40 **

Say again?

There’s a subdivision just down the road from the farm, and people come past our manure trucks and our tractors going from one part of the farm to another. They don’t mind – that’s the way it is out in the country. They recognize we’re one of their neighbors, and I hope they recognize that’s why there’s all this open space.

People like the Moo Thru, too, that’s part of the appeal of the (end-product of our) local dairy farm operation.

– KEN SMITH family owner of Cool Lawn Farm and Moo Thru ice cream near Remington

ӰӰ My family has lived in Fauquier and been farming since the late 1800s. We still maintain and run our original dairy farm. While we have beautiful rolling farmland, in my lifetime, I’ve witnessed a vast increase in the development of many farms.

There are measures in place to continue to keep our farms intact, (and) it is vitally important to teach our young people to respect and conserve the land and resources. They should be inventive in their approaches to conservation measures, crop choices and techniques.

I believe if we continue to protect our farms, and thoughtfully place housing and businesses, we can all continue to live productive, fulfilling lives.

I have taught agriculture in Fauquier County schools for over 30 years and have had to adapt and continue to learn, because of technology changing so quickly, just as we ask our students to do.

ӰӰ I’m grateful that the land around (the Orlean Market and Pub) isn’t going to change dramatically. I grew up in Fairfax, wrestled at George Mason and came here for a sandwich one day and – basically – never left.

I fell in love with this area, and got involved with the community.

That’s what it is about an area like this – there’s a rhythm. In the morning, the farmers and the farm workers come in. The people that work from home come mid-morning. In the evening, you get commuters coming from the city, and they’re coming home to this.

The most important thing to a business like this is the local support. We’re celebrating 204 years of Orlean history on Orlean Day Oct. 12. We will have local vendors, local music, local food from the local farmers.

I think some people just get it. They get that sense of camaraderie.

– KIA KIANERSE Owner Orlean Market and Pub

– PAMELA WOODWARD Liberty High School agricultural department

ӰӰ We’ve grown from 70 cows to 10 times that – we run 835 cows on about 1,200 acres here at Cool Lawn Farm. Mostly Holstein, but a few Brown Swiss since we have some 4H kids keeping their cows here.

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ӰӰ (Hollin Farms) has been farming this land more than 70 years.

The combination of high land costs and restrictive zoning means that many farms and estates are purchased by wealthy non-farmers or investment groups. Some of the large farms are still owned by legacy farm families, but many no longer farm and rent out their land.

This phenomena has created an agricultural industry of part-time farmers who pay landowners to use the land or get it for free in exchange for providing upkeep and giving the landowner the land use tax

rate. Some of these “renter” operations are amazingly large, dwarfing by many times the much smaller acreage in vineyards and homestead farms.

I like the pastoral look of Fauquier. That look – mostly open fields with large woodland tracts following streams and ridgelines, has been a function of cattle and horses grazing. Sadly fences and other expensive agricultural infrastructure has eroded on many large tracts of land.

Consequently industrially farmed corn and soybeans become the only agricultural alternative.

Landowners who put their land into easement or into an “agricultural district” can receive land use tax benefits without farming.

Without farming, open land in the county reverts to invasive species like autumn olive and eventually forest.

If preserving our pastoral landscape is the goal, we should consider a two-tiered land use rate, giving full benefits to those who farm, less to those who let things go.

– TOM DAVENPORT Hollin Farms, near Delaplane

ӰӰ Conservation easements and land trusts are popular because landowners recognize that governments actually do a terrible job of protecting open space, wildlife habitat, farmland and forest land.

The land trust business did not get started for income tax deductions; it got started for qualityof-life reasons.

Without conservation easements, the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust would not have been able to save 42 properties, including 12 with historic structures; almost 500 acres buffering local parkland; and more than 570 acres with rivers, streams and wetlands.

Without easements the only way these properties could have been preserved would be to purchase them as parkland at a cost of tens of millions of dollars. The public value of conservation is tremendous.

– PAUL GILBERT President, Northern Virginia Conservation Trust

ӰӰ I am an optimist, so I tend to see a bright future. I think the population of Fauquier (currently around 70,000) will continue to grow at a steady pace but not an explosive one like our neighbors

Listening in: Conservation Conversations

to the north and east.

I believe the vast majority (of growth) will be in our towns and service districts.

People are attracted to small towns that can provide community and shopping opportunities while still being affordable and somewhat secluded from the hustle and bustle of larger cities.

There will likely be a growing focus on social interaction like farmers markets, cafes, beer gardens, restaurants, small retail stores, community gardens, dog parks and trails. These aspects of community, along with walkability and more recreational options, are becoming increasingly desired as the baby boomer population retires and more people (are able to) work from home.

Because Fauquier has such strong conservation policies and directs growth to the service districts, growth will be slow and steady which is important because it will help prevent traffic problems, overtaxed infrastructure, strained community services, overcrowded schools and tax increases that result from unmanaged growth.

ӰӰMy family’s history as farmers and landowners in Fauquier County goes back to 1759.

Consequently, I know the county is constantly changing – as subtle as it may seem at times. Over the next 10, 20 or 100 years, I believe it will still continue to be predominantly a rural agricultural county with natural beauty.

As a sixth generation landowner and farmer, I feel it is important to retain the rural agricultural aspects of the county with its rich soil and natural resources. Yet, it is also important to improve on (rural) internet and telephone services so we can better communicate and conduct business more efficiently. Our current (communication situation) is in desperate need of improvement.

– CAMELLIA BLACKWELL-TAFFEL 2018 Virginia Tree Farmer of the Year

ӰӰ Fauquier’s comprehensive plan has served the county well for 50 years. Now more than ever, it is critical that our county leaders stick to the plan that has steered growth to the service districts whilst protecting rural and agricultural areas.

All Fauquier residents benefit from managing growth in this way.

– JEB HANNUM Fauquier Countryside Preservation Group

– JULIE BOLTHOUSE Fauquier County land use representative

ӰӰ If I may specifically address the town of Marshall, unfortunately at the rate in which our population is growing, and how growth has hit towns such as Haymarket and Gainesville, I fear it might overtake Marshall, too.

Ideally I would love to see buildings be maintained and restored as close to original as possible and that any new buildings be limited to the quaint look and feel of the town.

By providing a small-town atmosphere, and by appreciating our customers and our fellow business owners, working together (we can) maintain what really attracts people to visit our town and sets us apart – our uniqueness.

– CANDY VERRILLI Owner of the Flying Heron herb shop in Marshall

higher (due to expanding requirements on land developers), property taxes will soon match those of Loudoun and Fairfax (as) demographics change and diversify.

– ROBIN GARBE Real estate agent

ӰӰ Our situation is unique. At Welbourne, built in 1775, the perspective is all about conservation – we’ve placed 500 acres in conservation easement.

Our angle is history – when you come stay with us, we’re offering an experience to step back in time.

Yeah, we don’t have big box stores for shopping, or fast food, or very good cell service. But people get out here, and they realize that’s actually a good thing.

I’d like to hope they, eventually, recognize this open land, this history, this beautiful space is worth protecting.

Where do I see us in five years? Ten years? I hope in exactly the same place.

– REBECCA MORISON SCHAEFER Manager of the historic Welbourne B and B

ӰӰ As the D.C. area grows, so will surrounding counties, including Fauquier.

Sadly, it’s inevitable. Of course, it’s already happening.

Conservation easements are an important tool in preserving the landscape, and that is very attractive to newcomers to the area.

But people who are moving here ultimately want the conveniences they left behind, and (they) kind of feel they are doing our little community a “favor” by demanding what they see as long overdue improvements: internet access, more roads, paved roads, night lighting, more shopping and services.

In the future, we can expect land values to be FALL 2019

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Legislators rake in endorsements from Sierra Club, Farm Bureau Voting records dictate score The Virginia Farm Bureau and the Sierra Club Virginia chapter have endorsed a slew of Virginia politicians ahead of this year’s elections, including a large number of Democrats and several Republicans representing Prince William County.

The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s political action committee, AgPAC, endorsed 10 lawmakers and candidates.

Endorsements were based on recommendations of local committees of farmers and evaluated through a grassroots process on their understanding of the needs and challenges of Virginia farmers, according to the farm bureau.

“Those who have received the AgPAC endorsement have a history of supporting issues important to agriculture,” said Wayne Pryor, president and chairman of the AgPAC board of trustees. “We believe these candidates will help protect the agriculture and forestry industry and ensure that it remains the No. 1 industry in the commonwealth.”

Agribusiness adds some $3.8 billion annually to the Virginia economy and creates nearly 70,000 jobs.

Experts say Virginia farmers have been hit hard by the U.S. trade war with China, which has led to cutbacks on purchases of American agricultural products. In a statement to the Joint Money Committees of the General Assembly in August, Gov. Ralph Northam (D) said China used to be the No. 1 destination for Virginia’s agricultural and forestry exports, such as soybeans.

“In 2016, we exported nearly $700 million in those products to China,” Northam said. “But because of the trade war, our agricultural exports to China have lost nearly two-thirds of their value, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars of lost revenue for Virginia farmers. Sales of soybeans

are now just $235 million, and China has dropped to our number two agricultural trading partner.”

Virginia farmers stand to gain from a second round of federal aid designed to offset income losses from foreign trade disputes but would prefer to see a resolution to trade conflicts rather than a government check, according to a statement from the farm bureau.

Last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture distributed $8.5 billion in payments to American farmers who applied for aid.

“We continue to be grateful for help in these desperate times, but we must have a congressionally approved trade deal with our major trading partners: Canada, China and Mexico,” said Wilmer Stoneman, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation vice president of agriculture, development and innovation. “A trade deal now is what’s needed to improve the economic outlook for Virginia farmers.”

The Sierra Club Virginia chapter, a non-partisan environmental organization, publishes an annual environmental report card based on lawmakers votes on energy policy and climate change bills in the general assembly.

Legislators are graded by their votes on 16 climate change and energy policy bills introduced in the 2019 Virginia general assembly session. The scorecard reflects key votes that showed a distinction between elected officials who took a pro-environmental position and those who did not, the organization said.

“In a year when every seat of the general assembly is up for election, it is vital for voters to distinguish rhetoric from reality on their legislators’ voting history,” said Bob Shippee, legislative chair of Virginia Sierra.

“I am proud to fight for environmental justice, and advocate to protect our clean air and water, our beautiful Chesapeake Bay, and pristine wilder-

Virginia Farm Bureau endorsements

Virginia Farm Bureau Federation AgPAC, Farm Bureau’s political action committee, announced endorsement of 39 candidates for the Virginia Senate and 87 candidates for DEL. MICHAEL WEBERT the Virginia House of R-18 Delegates.

Included are endorsements for local candidates Del. Michael Webert, R-18, Sen. Jill Vogel, R-27th and Del. Mark Cole, R-88th.

Endorsements are based on recommendations of local committees of farmers.

The non-partisan VFBF AgPAC was created in 1999 and employs in-kind contributions and endorsements to support candidates who can best support ag issues. ness across the commonwealth,” Guzman said.

In recent years, Virginia Sierra has endorsed many more Democrats than candidates from other parties, but the organization says their record does not distort their “assessment of individual candidates who are committed to environmental protection.”

According the organization’s website, Virginia Sierra encourages “pro-environment candidates from all parties to run for office, and all candidates, regardless of party affiliation are given equal consideration.”

– By Daniel Berti

Pasture restoration program provides cost-share assistance to horse farmers Making simple changes in stable management protects waterways Landowners in a significant portion of the northern Virginia hunt country may be eligible for cost-share assistance and state tax credits on a wide variety of equine conservation practices.

Horse farms located in the upper Goose Creek watershed of Fauquier -Goose Creek runs from Markham north to the Loudoun County border – can get financial help to install muck composting facilities and fenced dry lots for heavy use areas.

Financial assistance is available regardless whether a horse farm is business or hobby.

The Goose Creek watershed includes Little River, Cromwell’s Run, Crooked Run and more feeder creeks. Goose Creek, a designated state scenic waterway, currently exceeds national water quality standards for bacterial levels.

As the recipient of a federal and state restoration grant, John Marshall

Soil and Water Conservation District is now able to offer more incentives – in other words, money – to work with horse farm owners and operators.

Benefits of manure composting include lowering or eliminating muck removal costs and generating a free pile of garden compost. Dry lots are used to provide turnout during times when larger pastures are saturated and would be damaged by hoof traffic.

Additional horse farm conservation practices that may be available depending upon agricultural income, and farm location, include horse pasture management support and the stabilization of eroding areas.

Non-profit organizations, such as foxhunt clubs and horse rescues located in the Goose Creek watershed, may also be eligible for assistance.

Virginia tax credits are available. dcr.virginia.gov/soil-and-water

PHOTO BY BETSY BURKE PARKER

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Conservation efforts are getting a big boost through a new foundation hard at work to protect open farmland in northwest Fauquier. The Old Dominion Conservation and Educational Foundation is focused on preserving rural space including at this farm, Henchman’s Lea, a cattle, crop and hay operation just north of Orlean.

Local Old Dominion Conservation and Educational Foundation joins hundreds of other similar non-profit land protection groups A new nonprofit foundation has started in Fauquier County and the surrounding area.

The Old Dominion Conservation and Educational Foundation formed earlier this year, with a mission to support education and open space preservation in the Old Dominion Hounds territory, centered on Orlean in both Fauquier and Rappahannock counties.

Across the country, many other clubs have formed similar nonprofit foundations to provide financial support to the issues facing all field sports pursuits. Some include the Brandywine Conservancy, the Rocky Mountain Elk Founda-

tion, Manor Conservancy, Hitchcock Woods Foundation, U.S. Sportsmans Alliance Foundation and more.

“As development continues to encroach on farmland, it’s important to support conservation of land and waterways,” says foundation president Suzanne Musgrave. “The Old Dominion Conservation and Educational Foundation will offer programming about our rural landscapes and how to protect them, deliver support to local nonprofits who share our vision, and engage our community through equestrian activities.”

The foundation accepts donations, allowing donors a tax-deductible vehicle to support their community and “keeping it looking the way it looks now,” Musgrave adds. “Open space, beautiful, room to roam and room to breathe.”

Work is already underway, with grants awarded to repair waterways damaged by the past year’s heavy rainfall. Education programs, including native landscapes and wildlife education programs for children and adults, and a conservation easement seminar for area landowners, are planned for 2020. Foundation events are open to all.

FALL 2019

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Give them a sporting chance Celebrating the unknown force for conservation – hunters and anglers Story and photos

by Sawyer Guinn For years now, Fauquier County has been preserving open spaces and protecting them from urban sprawl as population pressures around the nation’s capitol increase housing needs. The need for housing, naturally, increases right along with it. With more than 70 percent of the county zoned agricultural or protected by conservation easement, and 90 percent in open space, Fauquier’s success story is well known.

Not as well known is the driving force behind a lot of the conservation movement, in Fauquier, in Virginia and in the nation.

Millions of dollars are generated by the American System of Conservation Funding, fees paid via taxes and license fees by sportsmen – hunters and anglers protecting the lands that are home to the game animals, birds and fish that they are striving to protect as much as stalk. Land preservation and habitat restoration owe a lot to game sportsmen and women.

Meet Pittman, Robertson, Dingell and Johnson – The who’s who of game habitat protection

In the 1930s, American wildlife species of fur, fin and feather were in rapid decline due to irresponsible resource management. These men were on the front lines of ensuring the sportsmen’s future, and, with it, the future of wildlife.

The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937, called the Pittman–Robertson Act for sponsors Nevada Senator Key Pittman and Virginia Congressman Absalom Willis Robertson, was

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FALL 2019

signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The act levied an excise tax on hunters to provide funds to each state to manage habitats.

Notable success stories since implementation of this act include white-tailed deer, wild turkey and wood ducks. Expanded ranges for elk and cougars were also reported.

Pittman–Robertson Act took over a pre-existing 11 percent excise tax on firearms, archery equipment and ammunition. Funds are given to states based on a formula taking into account the area of the state and the number of licensed hunters. Half the money is used for hunter safety classes and to maintain practice target shooting ranges. If any of the federal money does not get spent, after two years that money is reallocated to the Migratory Bird Conservation Act. Critics of the legislation claim that state wildlife agencies allocate funds primarily towards the creation of new hunting opportunities, but the general feeling of hunters is that, in general, this is tax money on sporting purchases and that funding can be self-determined. Habitat, hunters argue, stimulates eco-tourism.

During the mid-1900s, anglers made a dramatic push to have more funding for conservation agencies and projects, citing a need to protect and maintain waterways. Representative John Dingell of Michigan and Senator Edwin Johnson of Colorado lobbied for the Dingell-Johnson bill, commonly referred to as the Sport Fish Restoration Act. The Dingell-Johnson Act was signed into law in 1950, creating a tax on all fishing gear sold in the U.S. Tax money is reimbursed back to wildlife management agencies for habitat restoration and to create access to public lands.

Since Dingell-Johnson, more than $9 billion has gone towards conservation efforts around the country.

Wildlife Management Areas versus easements

Virginia Wildlife Management Areas are statemanaged protected areas that exist primarily for the benefit of wildlife. Virginia has 41 WMAs, covering more than 203,000 acres, or 317 square miles. Fauquier has three – Phelps, Thompson and Weston.

They are managed and maintained by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

WMAs differ from other state-managed protected areas in that they are solely intended to preserve and improve wildlife habitat, with a particular focus on game animals. They provide public space for hunting and fishing – in season, with permits. Other protected areas like state parks, state forests and natural area preserves also protect habitat but are managed to provide space for public recreation, research, timber production and, sometimes, rare species conservation.

Land acquisition and maintenance funds for WMAs are provided by hunters and anglers through license fees and taxes levied on gear.

Some WMA land was originally donated to the state for wildlife purposes, rather than purchased.

Though maintained for the primary benefit of hunters and anglers, other recreation is permitted in WMAs. Hiking, primitive camping, riding and bird-watching is allowed on most WMA properties. Swimming is prohibited, along with mountain biking, organized sports and ATV use. Boats, when permitted, must be non-motorized.

To utilize WMA land for any purpose, visitors ages 17 and up must possess a valid hunting or fishing permit, or a current Virginia boat registration, or pay for a daily access permit.

Buying your license

Last year, hunting and fishing licenses generated $872 million and $724 million, respectively. ASCF excise taxes generated an additional $1,429 billion in revenue. All this money goes directly to supporting conservation initiatives and public access.

Every year, students from C.M. Bradley raise native brook trout in their classrooms. When they are large enough, the trout are released at Thompson WMA, helping to bolster this native species.

Conservation takes many forms

role in the system as a whole.

From scenic easements and historic preservaMuch like there are uncountable layers in an tion to habitat restoration and waterway protec- ecosystem, interdependent upon one another, the tion, conservation means many things to many greater goal of conservation is multi-faceted and people. complex.

In Fauquier, conservation means all of that, Though a deer hunter buying a license in Ocand more, from retaining open vistas and sup- tober may not have the intent to create habitat for porting food-producing farms to managing car- goldfinches and other over-wintering songbirds bon-sequestering forests. by paying tax on his rifle and ammunition, it is Acknowledging the value in each definition the value-added benefit from hunting. The anContributions to the American System of Conservation Funding of conservation is a key part to perpetuating the gler may not think of the Chesapeake Bay oysters Through thehave American of Conservation Funding (comprised of revenue from sporting licenses and systems that been System so successful in protecting staying healthy from farm management programs Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson/Wallop-Breaux funds), sportsmen women contribute natural habitat. Whether your definition is donat- upstream when he and purchases a sport fishing liof dollars to conservation. The System is a “user-pays, public-benefits” model, wherein ingbillions money to fund the war on the illegal ivory cense, but that’s the result from forward-thinking sportsmen and women provide the vast majority of the funding for state fish and wildlife agencies – the trade, buying a hunting license fior up an conservationist instituted policies primary stewards of our nation’s shsetting and wildlife resources.

The revenuelegislators generatedwho through this System easement on your land, all of these play a critical still hard at work today. helps to conserve fish and wildlife, provide clean water and healthy landscapes, and maintain access to

Virginia

these resources for the public at large, not just hunters and anglers.

Hunting Licenses

Fishing Licenses

$21.30 M

$23.4 M

$14.18 M

$5.20 M

$77.31 M

16

10

28

29

9

Historical Funding Total

$484.77 M

$407.49 M

$206.14 M

$142.24 M

$1.24 B

Historical Funding US Rank

19

17

23

28

20

2018 Funding 2018 National Rankings

PittmanRobertson

Dingell-Johnson/ Wallop-Breaux

Total

Virginia sportsmen and women’s contributions to the American System of Conservation Funding:

Ironically, hunters and anglers are the largest conservators of open space and wildlife in the world.

Sportsmen and women provide enormous public benefits

The American System of Conservation Funding charges fees for hunters and fishermen that are in turn used to maintain public lands and resources.

Hunting and fishing license fees go towards land management, and if you want to hunt or fish on National Forest land, you need to purchase an additional, separate license or stamp for your existing license. Funds go directly towards managing habitat and wildlife as well as native tree nurseries, forestry consultations for landowners and maintaining roads and trails in National Forest land.

Contributions from sportsmen are fund all Department of Game and and Inland Fisheries access points and public facilities, including public boat ramps and launches.

Since 1939 the ASCF has generated more than $60 billion for preserving land, wildlife and public access.

• The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) manages more than 203,000 acres on 42 Wildlife Management Areas for quality wildlife habitat and public hunting.

• The VDGIF annually trains over 14,000 students through their hunter education classes.

• The VDGIF owns or manages over 224 boating access sites that provide access to lakes, rivers and coastal waters for angler and boaters.

• Virginia’s Artificial Reef Program has established 23 artificial reef sites inshore and offshore to restore fish populations by providing feeding grounds and shelter for reef-dwelling fish.

• The VDGIF stocks over 1.2 million trout in more than 180 waters across the state annually.

2018 Certified Paid License Holders Fishing: 562,089 Hunting: 276,019

This report is made possible thanks to: 2018 Total Licenses/ Permits/Tags Fishing: 856,702 Hunting: 860,075

All graphics and statistics provided by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. congressionalsportsmen.org/policies/state/ascf FALL 2019

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As the name indicates, UVA Community Credit Union is a community-based organization, which is dedicated to helping its members realize their financial goals and strengthening the communities in which they live, work, and attend schools.

Throughout the years the credit union has remained committed to helping members—whether it was owning a home, sending their children to college, or enjoying a secure retirement.

Another way the credit union has made an impact in the communities it serves, is through hiring industry experts who are also longstanding members of the community. You may already be familiar with many of these people because they’ve lived in our community for years and are a part of the credit union’s family.

They are dedicated to helping you discover the credit union difference and how membership in UVA Community Credit Union can help you be YOU!

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William T. Butler III (Tripp) | Sr. Commercial Loan Officer Tripp has over 20 years experience in the financial services industry and is passionate about building business relationships in Culpeper, Fauquier, Orange, Madison, and Rappahannock counties. The credit union’s commercial loan portfolio includes real estate, construction, equipment, and vehicle loans as well as lines of credit. Tripp is instrumental in engaging local businesses and providing financial education awareness to local businesses and its employees. Be on the lookout for Tripp tapping his foot and singing along at the credit union sponsored Orange Downtown Alliance Summer Main Street Music Series this summer.

Amelia J. Stansell | Sr. Commercial Loan Officer Amelia, the most recent addition to the credit union family, is here to help provide solid commercial banking solutions for members with business locations in Culpeper, Fauquier, Orange, and Rappahannock counties. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Amelia believes in serving her community to make it a better place to live, work, and do business through volunteering. In 2018, Amelia was nominated for “Business Person of the Year” by the Fauquier Chamber of Commerce. She is a graduate of Leadership Fauquier, an active Rotarian, Chairman of Experience Old Town Warrenton, and is a Be the Change Foundation board member.

Trevor Rollison | Mortgage Loan Officer Looking for a home in Culpeper or Warrenton? Trevor has over 18 years of financial services experience and can provide you with options to make the home of your dreams a reality. Based out of the credit union’s Culpeper and Warrenton branches, Trevor is an expert at assisting home buyers with the mortgage application process as well as refinancing existing residential mortgages, and regularly receives 5 star reviews on Zillow. As a member of the Greater Piedmont Realtors, he works seamlessly with real estate agents to ensure your home buying experience is smooth and meets timeframes that are important to you. He shares his experience and advice about the local real estate market during seminars hosted by the credit union.

Fiona Waln | Branch Manager, Blackwell Road Fiona is a very familiar face in the community having spent the last 23 years in the financial industry serving Fauquier County. She manages the day-to-day operations at the credit union’s branch on Blackwell Road in Warrenton by helping members navigate the process of saving for college, starting a business, and planning for retirement. Fiona is active with the credit union’s CU @ Work program that provides affordable financial services to employees of local businesses.

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Jackie Bowles | Branch Manager, Culpeper A familiar face, and lifelong resident of Culpeper, the credit union was thrilled to have Jackie join the team when it expanded to the Culpeper market. Jackie’s smiling face and can do attitude can be found at 633 Meadowbrook Shopping Center.

She has 30 years of experience in the financial industry and is deeply rooted in the Culpeper community. She represents the credit union during the 3rd Thursday Concert Series, Culpeper Business Industry and Education Day, and is very active with the Chamber of Commerce.

Samantha Black | Community Relations Specialist Samantha has worked in financial services for the last eight years, and was recently the branch manager at the credit union’s branch in Warrenton, where she helped many members achieve their financial goals one-on-one. Now, as a community relations specialist, she coordinates larger education opportunities for the entire community including: financial education programs for local schools, seminars at the credit union, and for local employers through the credit union’s CU @ Work program. She also manages local sponsorships and donations. She is on the credit union’s scholarship review committee that annually awards a total of $27,000 to 18 high school students in its field of membership.

Jomo Hylton* | Financial Advisor/Financial Planner Jomo assist families, individuals, and small business owners in achieving a higher level of financial independence and security through holistic, comprehensive solutions. In addition to his expertise, he has partnerships with various other resources which help uncover needs and provide solutions. Look for Jomo out in the community swinging a hammer or perhaps painting. He is an avid supporter of Habitat for Humanity and participates annually with home construction.

UPCOMING SEMINARS Managing Credit and Debt Seminar Thursday, September 19 | 6-7:30 pm Blackwell Road Branch 484 Blackwell Road, Suite 100, Warrenton Home Sellers Seminar Thursday, October 3 | 6-7 pm Montague Miller & Co Realtors 332 James Madison Hwy, Culpeper For more information on upcoming seminars and to register, please visit uvacreditunion.org/seminars

U

VA Community Credit Union is a not-forprofit, member-owned cooperative that provides a wide range of convenient and professionally managed financial services to its members.

Membership is open to those who live, work, or own a business located in Charlottesville, Albemarle, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, or Rappahannock. Any business entity located in its membership area may also join.

Over 70,000 Virginians and hundreds of Virginia-based businesses have discovered “The Credit Union Difference” and are part of something special as members of UVA Community Credit Union.

we’re here for

YOU it’s easy to join. get started today. warrenton: 484 blackwell road culpeper: 633 meadowbrook shopping center

• business services • low mortgage rates • financial planning

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All loans subject to credit approval. Other restrictions may apply. Membership eligibility required. Mortgage services provided by Member Options, LLC NMLS #194038 (nmlsconsumeraccess.org) a wholly owned subsidiary of UVA Community Credit Union.

Learn about the Credit Union Difference and how YOU can join us.

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* Insurance Representative of MassMutual. Registered Representative of and offers securities, investment advisory and financial planning services through MML Investors Services, LLC. a member of the MassMutual Financial Group.

530 Gaither Road, Suite 350, Rockville, MD 20850. 301.355.5800. MassMutual is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives. Local sales agencies are not subsidiaries of MassMutual or its affiliated companies. Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, LLC., Member SIPC. Local sales firms are not subsidiaries of MassMutual or its affiliated companies. CRN202107-251269

FALL 2019

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US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ARCHIVE

Lyster Dewey’s hemp fields grew on land later occupied by the Pentagon. His observations are available online and in newly published books.

Virginia’s hemp legacy

The leaves of Lane’s “T. Rex” cultivar are larger than the more compact “Nova” cultivar. All the hemp growing at Travis Lane’s farm will be used for CBD products.

Hemp dreams Newly legal, industrial hemp promises agricultural bonanza for Fauquier farmers Story and photos

by Mara Seaforest One acre, 1,600 plants and the promise of a million-dollar future.

That’s what keeps Travis Lane working from dawn to dusk tending Cannabis sativa, commonly known as industrial hemp, on his organic farm near Marshall. What motivates him even more than the potential for business success is knowing it will translate into a better life for his family and thousands of people he will never meet.

Lane’s company, Northern Virginia Hemp and Agriculture, started with a permit from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to grow this long-prohibited crop. He is among a handful of Fauquier farmers now part of a renaissance in agriculture here. He brings to the project an educational background in horticulture and business acumen built in running HC Lane and Son Landscape Design. He has four employees now and expects to bring on more as his business grows.

All parts of his plants are useful, and he intends to use them all. But the focus of Lane’s operation will be medicinal cannabidiol oil, known as CBD. He gave his plants fanciful 36

FALL 2019

names to replace their original numbers: T. Rex, Nova, Otto Sweetened, Mountain Mango and Wife.

The oils are already popular remedies for pain, sleeplessness, anxiety, acne, depression and even diabetes, among many other conditions. Like Dr. Travis Hall, owner of Remington Pharmacy, Lane is enthusiastic about CBD’s healing properties but cautions people to talk with their physicians before using it, as it can interfere with some other medications.

CBD is used both internally and topically. Some kinds can even be vaped.

“My grandmother, who is 76, had bronchitis that made it hard for her to breathe,” Lane says. “She started vaping the CBD and now she is breathing freely and feels so much better.”

Lane’s hemp dreams are big and already coming true. “Our CBD products will be for sale this fall at the Orlean Market. I’m really excited about that.”

Bigger yet, he is opening a shop on Main Street in Marshall, where its established organic quality of life will be a marketing plus for him.

And the biggest dream of all: “I will soon bring a hemp processing facility to Fauquier County, for all the hemp growers around here,” he maintains.

Hemp was at the core of 17th and 18th-century civilization in North America. It was grown by early settlers to reward their investors, by George Washington at Mount Vernon and by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello.

Ironically, the Declaration of Independence was written on paper made from hemp.

But hemp’s fate was sealed in the first third of the 20th century, when newspaper tycoons heavily invested in forestry and even more powerful oil barons saw unacceptable competition in the nation’s easily renewable hemp fields. Cannabis in all forms became illegal by federal fiat until it was briefly resurrected to create supplies desperately needed during World War II. At the end of the war, the rallying cry of “Hemp for Victory!” faded, eventually along with the nation’s institutional memory about how to grow this extraordinary crop.

You can’t tell by looking

None of the varieties grown by Lane and other American hemp farmers may contain more than a tiny trace of tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical that gives some varieties of Cannabis sativa their psychoactive qualities. If inspectors find plants that exceed this amount during periodic tests, they will be destroyed. It hasn’t happened in Virginia yet.

PHOTO BY GLENN RODES

Industrial hemp is expected to create a whole new landscape look for Virginia farmland.

It starts with VDACS

Industrial hemp became legal under the federal Farm Bill of 2018 but only under government-controlled programs such as James Madison University’s experimental farm, run in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Late last March, Gov. Ralph Northam signed an order making it legal to grow non-T Cannabis sativa for profit, not just experimentation. The order was timed to coincide with planting season and the permits began to fly out to some 1,000 enthusiastic Virginia farmers. They had done their homework and were ready to order seeds and “clones” from sources in Colorado, Canada and elsewhere. They broke ground, often on land previously devoted to soybeans, for Virginia’s first hemp crops since World War II.

Hemp’s heroes

The Virginia Industrial Hemp Coalition has lobbied for years to legalize hemp and continues to encourage “tweaks” in laws affecting hemp farming and marketing. Elizabeth Melson, director of the Coalition’s Northern Virginia region, encourages interested farmers to join the organization to take advantage of its educational programs and networking opportunities.

Most Virginia farmers go to Kentucky or North Carolina to process their hemp for use in literally ELIZABETH MELSON thousands of products, including refined medicinal CBD oil.

Melson, like others involved in Virginia’s newest cash crop, advocates for centralized hemp processing facilities for our hemp farmers. “There are over 10,000 uses for hemp,” she says. “We need a more convenient way for our local farmers to convert that material into those products.”

Dr. Travis Hall teaches Mary Champion how to apply a CBD cream to soothe an injury to her arm.

Yes, it works

Remington pharmacist Dr. Travis Hall is enthusiastic about the medicinal benefits of cannabidiol. He encourages patients served at his dispensary to discuss with their physicians any use of CBD products before trying them, as some may interact with prescription and even over-the-counter drugs. But for those who use the CBD products he sells, he says most people find they work remarkably well to relieve many symptoms and can increase overall well-being.

Hall looks forward to growth in local hemp production. “I would love to work with Fauquier hemp farmers and offer their products to people who come here in need of a safe way to feel better.”

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Say again? Again.

In their own words: Weighing in on the best ways to protect the land How do we love thee, rural Fauquier – Let us count the ways ӰӰ We’re a grassroots group of citizens who love this county. With regards to the rural lands plan, we saw no need for it to change (from a 1990 version to a slight revision, Plan A, amending the comprehensive plan last month.) The original plan has been conserving the land just fine.

We want to preserve our people, not just the land, and we feel that sliding scale clustering does the exact opposite of what it intends. I think a bunch of houses clustered close together with a large non-common open space between them completely changes the look of the county from having one house per parcel.

We fear the new policies are overstepping the rights of the people, and the point is to figure out the best way to keep from eroding the character of the county – spacious, open, rural.

We don’t think having one house per 50, or even 10, or even 5, acres is the problem. We think that clustering three houses on a couple acres and having a 150-acre farm between them is the problem. Our thought is that this cluster … style of development will make Fauquier look like Prince William.

I’m frustrated that the (county’s) vision of the new rural lands plan is a different vision, and, I think, the exact opposite of what we want. And since this affects fully 90 percent of the county, it’s a very important topic.

We just don’t want this county to become a giant HOA. Property owners right are critical.

– MARY ELIZABETH WILKERSON Director, Save Fauquier LLC

ӰӰ Rural parcels in Fauquier can be divided in two ways: 50-acre large lot subdivision and sliding scale subdivision with 85 percent of the parcel retained in non-common open space. Non-common open space simply means that the large parcel is held in private ownership, rather than “common open space” such as ponds, play fields and tot lots you find in suburban subdivisions.

For example if a 510-acre farm wanted to subdivide in Fauquier, they could use sliding scale to subdivide the parcel into 17 lots but one of those lots would need to be 433 ½ acres or larger. The idea is that that large parcel would act as an anchor and could continue to be used for agriculture, silvaculture, historic preservation and-or retained for ecological benefit to water quality, wildlife habitat or air quality.

It is not a simple ordinance by any means, but it is a very effective ordinance that still gives the landowner some subdivision rights but keeps our rural areas from becoming low density suburbs.

– JULIE BOLTHOUSE Fauquier County land use representative

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ӰӰ The way the comprehensive plan is set up, it helps … drive growth into the service districts. The long-time calling card for the county is that growth stays near the towns and areas with sewer and utilities. The rest of the county remains rural.

The (board of) supervisors could initiate changes in the comprehensive plan that could drastically change the vision, but protecting the rural lands has long been the vision of the county, and is closely aligned with who we are.

The good news is that the board has a feel for their constituents, and I don’t see their views changing. The (service district) plans work in harmony to help guide land use decisions.

This area doesn’t look the way it does by accident. By balancing support and opposition, and staff factually and fairly presenting information to the planning commission and the supervisors, they can continue to make informed decisions.

One place there (could be) impact is development in neighboring jurisdictions near the county line. We work closely with VDOT and with other counties to stay abreast of what’s happening outside Fauquier to work cooperatively on projects.

– ADAM SHELLENBERGER Fauquier chief of planning

ӰӰ One of my responsibilities (is to) administer the land use tax, a special assessment for preservation of open space.

This is one in a number of complex layers of … land preservation tools Fauquier County employs: some are actively managed, others passively managed, but it is

the same end result.

This program has been around since 1974, and almost all parcels that we put into land use are still in the program, or have converted into conservation easements.

Look around. It works.

– ROSS D’URSO Commissioner of Revenue (retiring at the end of the year)

KEVIN RAMUNDO

ӰӰ Fauquier’s supervisors have kept the growth of housing units to a reasonable level – 4.7 percent versus 20.9 percent in Loudoun (2010-2017 information). The growth in Loudoun has been more than triple the rate of the other seven counties in the D.C. metro area.

Loudoun’s growth has come at the expense of farming. The USDA reports that 26 percent of Loudoun’s farmland has disappeared since 2002.

That county’s choice of houses over farms has had significant adverse effects.

We read the county comprehensive plan (so you don’t have to) Exhaustive guidebook based on one basic premise: Protect rural Fauquier – and everybody wins

By Betsy Burke Parker Formal planning and zoning in Fauquier County began in late 1950, when the board of supervisors appointed the first planning commission with instructions to prepare a map to "protect the agricultural heritage of the county and to provide for future population growth."

The first subdivision ordinance was adopted in 1951, the first zoning map in 1955.

From the start, the original ordinance provided for a predominance of conservation with commercial areas along the highways and near the towns.

A revised zoning map was adopted in 1970, strengthening the land use plan and increased the amount of conservation zoning and designed urban growth areas as service districts.

A new ordinance in 1981 substantially increased the area of rural agricultural zones, allowing for

Rural lands plan – ‘A’ is the answer

The Fauquier County board of supervisors approved an amendment to the rural lands chapter of the county’s comprehensive plan that had the broadest expressed public support.

Not everyone was on board with the rewrite.

After a public hearing, supervisors Mary Leigh McDaniel (Marshall), Rick Gerhardt (Cedar Run), and Holder Trumbo (Scott) voted in favor of “version A.” Supervisors Chris Granger (Center) and Chris Butler (Lee) voted against it; they preferred “version B.” The chapter – last approved in the 1990s – guides county officials in implementing the goals of managing growth, conservation, farmland AGAIN, from page 40 Residential development has a negative fiscal impact because the cost of providing services for new homes is 62 percent higher than property tax revenues.

Farms, on the other hand, contribute positively because they generate property tax revenue that exceeds the cost of services required by 27 percent.

The agricultural sector of the county contributes $1.6 billion and thousands of jobs to the local economy.

More residential development will burden (any locality) with additional traffic congestion, negative environmental impacts and reduced services.

– KEVIN RAMUNDO Citizens For Fauquier County

future expansion in the service districts and villages. The resulting configuration of service districts and villages encouraged orderly growth emanating from existing towns and villages First adopted in 1977, by 1992, the ag and forestal districts encompassed more than 81,000 acres in 12 designated areas.

Because of Fauquier's longtime goal of preserving traditional agricultural uses and comprehensive plan zoning and land use goal of preserving the environment and a rural way of life, the land preservation assessment taxation – land use tax – rate was enacted for landowners engaged in agricultural, horticultural or forest use.

Why is the comprehensive plan Important?

The comprehensive plan is based on the vision, values and expectations of the community.

Through a thorough public input process the plan frames decisions that will guide county officials on growth and development decisions.

Public input during plan review is vital, says former county administrator Bob Lee, so that the future of the county accurately reflects the vision of its citizens.

“Natural resources play a key role in Fauquier’s economy, land-use decisions, values and quality of life,” adds planning official Kevin Shellenberger.

Resources include farms, forests, scenic attripreservation and quality of life. Both versions of the chapter rewrite also address ways to expand the agricultural economy.

Some who spoke during a public hearing before the vote expressed alarm; they saw either version – with language about nighttime lighting restrictions and county oversight of wells – as an attempt to infringe on property rights.

Butler emphasized that county staff had been working for two years – in a transparent process – to provide the board with sensible options that would support agribusiness. He cited Messick’s Farm Market in Bealeton and Moo Thru in Remington, claiming those businesses have allowed their owners to prosper.

ӰӰ In 1960, both Loudoun and Fauquier (had) about 25,000 population. Today, Loudoun is racing toward a half-million residents; Fauquier just passed the 70,000 threshold.

I believe there are two primary drivers that explain these population and preservation situations in Fauquier. First, Fauquier, like Clarke County, has sliding scale zoning for more than three quarters of the county. This zoning is specifically designed to preserve agricultural and forestal land resources by limiting residential development.

The designation of service districts complements the sliding scale system and channels population growth … where utilities and other urban services and amenities can be

Remington’s vibrant downtown shows the success of the service district concept. butes, open rural landscapes, biodiversity and recreational opportunities. “Natural resources are not infinite,” Lee warns, and they cannot be sustained without responsible management.

To conserve natural and rural landscapes, resource management has been incorporated into Fauquier County’s planning strategies. The desire not to allow urbanization of the county has led to a strong cooperation between private and public sectors to encourage agriculture tourism like farm stands, corn mazes, wineries, orchards and pickyour-own farms.

“As more property is moved into easements, it’s hurting the economy of the county. It’s damaging to the public schools, public safety and, quite frankly, our tax base,” Granger said.

Although McDaniel, Trumbo and Gerhardt said they did not disagree with anything that was said by their fellow supervisors, they voted for version A, in support of the greatest number of speakers and written comments.

Andrew Hopewell, assistant chief of planning for the county’s community development department, said that 52 written comments received by the department favored version A. Another four were opposed to either version. One didn’t indicate a preference.

efficiently provided.

This land protection ethic was enhanced in 1972 when PEC partnered with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Association of Counties and University of North Carolina Institute of Government to sponsor a land-planning educational tour of England for Fauquier members of the Board of Supervisors and planning commissioners.

These local public officials learned that almost 62 million people in Great Britain live on an island roughly twice the size of Virginia. Yet, England has demonstrably better visual order, more attractive towns, villages and hamlets, better protection of working landscapes and greater conservation of natural and cultural assets than exhibited almost anywhere in Virginia,

with a resident population of approximately 8 million.

The trip clearly made a big impact on (our) elected and appointed officials that you can have thriving towns plus productive ag lands. It just takes planning framework, and that’s what we’ve implemented here.

The sliding scale zoning protects against those 5-acre parcels that are too big to mow but too small to farm.

But, no matter how good your zoning is, we’re always one supervisors’ vote away from it disappearing.

We need to get as much land under conservation easement as possible.

– BOB LEE County administrator more than 30 years, former Virginia Outdoors Foundation executive director FALL 2019

41

PHOTO BY BETSY BURKE PARKER

Like many properties in Fauquier County, this farm near Delaplane is protected by a conservation easement with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, one of several organizations that accept gifts of land to prevent development in ‘perpetuity.’ Many believe these programs are key to land preservation.

By the numbers – the 4-1-1 on easements Counting on the conservation collective of the county When you drive into Fauquier County on U.S. Route 50 from Clarke County, the first thing that strikes you is the breathtaking view. Seen from up high near Ashby Gap at a thousand feet above sea level, you get a sense of the land rolling out below, dotted with some houses and more farm fields.

A few homes are grand, others not – some are quite modest, but they’re linked by an overarching fact: The view down the Crooked Run Valley will never change.

Never.

The gently rolling hills will never be flattened and filled with tract homes like beleaguered Round Hill just north of Paris in Loudoun Couty.

The woodlands will never be clearcut and replaced with row after row of apartment buildings and big box stores like formerly-rural Ashburn.

Because of the diligent work by generations of landowners and conservationists, Fauquier County remains one of the nation’s biggest open space protection success stories.

Fauquier property owners put 2,197 acres under conservation easement in 2018, permanently protecting the land from development.

It brings Fauquier’s total under conservation easement to 107,070 acres — nearly one-quarter of the 651-square-mile county, one of Virginia’s largest. Added to other federal, state, county and local parklands, historic sites and other preserved 42

FALL 2019

What is it?

A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement that allows a landowner to maintain the scenic, natural or historic value of a property, while conveying some property interest to a qualified organization, land trust or government agency.

A property owner continues to retain full ownership, use and control of the land but transfers specific rights to an easement holding organization, such as the right of wide-scale development, intensive subdivision of land or clear-cut timbering.

Most conservation easements are created in perpetuity.

The primary benefit of donating a conservation easement is gaining the peace of mind of knowing land will always be protected from development. acreage, it makes the county one of the most conserved on the east coast.

Easements of nearly 8,000 acres were recorded in Fauquier, Albemarle, Clarke, Culpeper, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock counties last year for nearly 409,000 acres.

“More and more people are interested in protecting the special qualities of their properties,”

It will always stay open: conserved land

County Last year Total Fauquier 2,197 acres 107,070 acres Albemarle 1,055 100,629 Clarke 832 26,079 Culpeper 796 19,713 Greene 0 10,448 Loudoun 1,313 58,862 Madison 27 15,914 Orange 1,419 37,380 Rappahannock 100 32,844 Regional

7,739

408,939

Piedmont Environmental Council president Chris Miller said in a press release. “Working together, we have an opportunity to ensure that the Piedmont is a place that provides the land needed for good food, clean drinking water and great places to enjoy nature.”

Voluntary agreements between landowners and land trusts, such as a public agency or a nonprofit conservation group like PEC, easements protect natural, scenic and cultural resources by restricting development forever.

Fauquier currently has restrictions on total number of divisions of larger tracts, but county officials warn that it only takes one change in county code to invite greater building density.

Conservation easements remove that possibility on land they protect.

Conservation easements: Myths and facts

If “conservation easement” makes you nervous and jealous, you’re not alone. Misinformation about conservation agreements is widespread.

Myth: Conservation easements are for the “rich.”

Fact: It is true that it costs several thousand dollars to place a property in easement, and given that tracts need to be multiple acres, it is mostly larger landowners that can use an easement.

But there are “scholarship” programs, including the Julian Scheer Fund, to help defray some or all the cost connected to placing farms or open land in easement.

Myth: When you sign a conservation agreement, you give up your rights to use your property as you see fit.

Fact: Your conservation agreement is tailored specifically to your needs — in fact, you help design it. The purpose is to preserve conservation values of your property, so you continue to control your land and any financial or other values you derive from it.

Myth: A conservation agreement means the government will take over your property and management decisions.

Fact: You and the conservation organization that holds the agreement work together to oversee your land, and you remain free to manage it for recreation, timber or other natural resources that benefit you personally or financially.

Myth: Conservation agreements reduce the value of your property and make it difficult for your heirs to profit from it.

Fact: A conservation agreement significantly reduces the estate taxes your heirs will have to pay, making it easier and more affordable for them to keep the land intact.

Myth: The only ones that benefit are the easement holders.

Fact: Easements protect and preserve the very reason that Fauquier County is considered the most beautifully conserved land on the east coast, a uniquely open landscape filled with flora and fauna.

Plus, the reason that people live in Fauquier County but work east of here, in Fairfax, Loudoun or the District, is that taxes remain low because of – not in spite of – conserved land.

The who’s who of conservation easements

• Virginia Outdoors Foundation was created by the General Assembly in 1966. It is the largest holder of open space easements in Virginia, over the last decade preserving open space at a rate of about 5 acres every hour. VOF holds easements in perpetuity that protect a wide variety of natural resources, including watershed areas, scenic views, lands adjacent to public parks and game preserves, community lands and more.

• Virginia Historic Preservation Easement Program, through the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, accepts donations of easements on properties with architectural, archaeological or historic value.

• Fauquier’s Purchase of Development Rights program was established in 2002 to help sustain the county’s agricultural base. The program

Protected: all of it is critical to the county

PHOTOS BY RANDY LITZINGER

• 8.7 miles of streams • 71.9 acres of wetlands • 1,198.8 acres of prime farmland soils • 1,093.4 acres of forest • 787.5 acres along scenic byways • 662.9 acres in the viewshed of the Appalachian Trail • 914.1 acres in historic districts • 218.1 acres of Civil War battlefields Piedmont Environmental Council staff study a map of Fauquier County green space in their Warrenton office.

helps landowners sell development rights to the county to keep it in agricultural production. Development rights are extinguished. Benefits for the community include preservation of wildlife habitat, clean air and water, flood control, groundwater recharge and carbon sequestration.

• Land Trust of Virginia was founded in 1992. A non-profit land trust, LTV protects open space, historic heritage, natural resources, farms, forests and water.

• The Piedmont Environmental Council works with landowners to develop conservation easements that establish permanent limits on future development while protecting the conservation values of the land.

• The Nature Conservancy works with landowners to develop permanent conservation ease-

ments to keep land in private hands and protect biodiverse habitats.

• Marsh Resources works with landowners to negotiate and hold easement of sites for wetland impacts or sold as mitigation credits.

• Foggy Bottom Wetlands works to identify land that is ideally suited for wetlands creation and stream restoration.

• The Fauquier County Conservation Easement Incentive Overlay District was established to preserve agricultural and historic resources, open space, parks and future transportation corridors. The zoning ordinance tool allows residential density to be increased within service districts through the special exception process, in exchange for placing conservation easements on the resources to be saved.

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FALL 2019

Meet the fathers of early land conservation

By Steve Price

behind the 1872 founding of the Yellowstone National Park.

The rise of preservation • Henry David Thoreau detailed his There was a period in American hisexperiences and wonderment at the tory, from the “Manifest Destiny” belief natural setting of his cabin on Walden that this country had the divine duty to Pond outside Boston and the larger spread its dominion to the Pacific Ocean “preservation of nature.” until the closing of the frontier, when • Scottish immigrant John Muir, who there was no reason to contemplate traveled throughout California’s Yosemite conservation or land preservation. and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, joined There was too much magazine editor Robert Underwood available space Johnson in 1892 to establish the Sierra An individual, family Club, an organization designed or group who didn’t like In wildness is to protect America's natural rewhere they lived had the preservation sources and public parks. alternative to relocate – of the world • For President Theodore Roousually west – to a better sevelt, widely admired for his – Henry David love of the great outdoors, the place, one with bountiThoreau ful natural resources and conservation movement was not room to roam. about the preservation of nature A number of prominent 19th century simply for nature itself. His hunting exAmericans, even those who lived in or periences convinced him of the need to near urban areas, expressed their abid- protect game species from further deing love for nature. Conservation was struction and eventual extinction.

“We are prone to speak of the resources of this country as inexhaustible; this is not so,” Roosevelt wrote.

In 1905, Roosevelt helped to create the U.S. Forest Service. By the end of his presidency, Roosevelt had successfully increased the number of national parks as well as added area to existing forest reserves.

• New York’s Rockefeller family ceded the majority of their Pocantico estate north of New York City to the state as a preserve for strollers, hikers and riders – bicycles and horses.

• The Virginia Outdoors Foundation, largest holder of open space easements in the commonwealth, preserves open space at a rate of five acres every hour, something that carries forward the original intent of Roosevelt, Muir and more.

The scenic views at every turn in Fauquier County owe a debt to the wide vision of these early preservationists.

Countries with the most protected lands

1. New Caledonia (a Pacific island) 61.3 percent 2. Slovenia: 54.5 percent 3. Venezuela: 53 percent 4. Germany: 48 percent 5. Turks and Caicos Islands: 44 percent 6. Brunei (small island nation in southeast Asia): 44 percent 7. Namibia: 43 percent 8. Liechtenstein: 43 percent 9. Seychelles (archipelago in the Indian Ocean): 42 percent 10. Hong Kong: 42 percent – 106. U.S. 14 percent * Note: These rankings and totals do not reflect privately conserved or actively managed lands such BLM property holdings.

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF USGS ONLINE GIS DATABASE

The privately conserved lands of Fauquier County are dwarfed by federal – and state-managed lands that include public access, particularly out west.

FALL 2019

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FALL 2019

PHOTOS BY PAM OWEN

Stream monitoring can be an extremely effective way to measure the health of an ecosystem.

Crowdsourcing ongoing research Join the fight for knowledge to protect natural resources

By Pam Owen Since the 1990s, the scientific community has increasingly been soliciting help from volunteers to crowdsource collecting data on many species.

As the internet evolved, so did the contribution of these so-called “citizen scientists.”

Organizations taking advantage of this passionate volunteer workforce range from universities to federal agencies.

Community scientists’ help is especially useful when a large amount of data must be collected over a short time. This was the case with the project “What Do Birds Eat?,” led by researchers for entomologist

Butterfly counting is as rewarding for the individual as it is for the scientist – as well as the butterflies.

Doug Tallamy. The team was determining which insects birds preferred to eat and feed their young over the course of a breeding season.

To get data on as many birds as possible, the team invited birders across the country to contribute photos of birds with insects in their bills.

Some 1,200 birders responded initially; the project is ongoing. Help out at whatdobirdseat.com.

Making up the bulk of the volunteer workforce in many states are master naturalists. The first statewide master naturalist program was developed in in Colorado in the 1970s. In 2006, the Virginia Master Naturalist program launched. VMN now has 30 chapters, including Old Rag Master Naturalists, which serves Madison, Rappahannock, Culpeper, Greene, Fauquier and Orange counties.

While becoming a certified master naturalist requires training and 40 hours of service each year, anyone can help out The Audubon Society welcomes volunteers to join its annual national monitoring project, the Christmas Bird Count, and maintains a searchable database of count data.

Community scientists also help with butterfly counts, frog monitoring and other data-collection activities. iNaturalist takes submissions of observations of any animal or plant and offers help with identification through crowdsourcing. Some community science projects provide a way to get children involved in nature, through their parents, schools or other organizations.

Whether working alone or in groups, community scientists enjoy benefits beyond helping conserve nature. They get the opportunity to network with experts and others within the community — sharing data, seeking help with identification or answers to other natural-history questions and enjoying the fellowship of others who share their passion for nature.

How to become a citizen scientist

• SciStarter (scistarter.org): This website provides a database of more than 1,500 vetted, searchable projects and events for community scientists.

• iNaturalist.org: A joint initiative of the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society. This online forum gives community scientists a way to record and share their observations of plants and animals, crowdsource identifications and discuss their findings with their peers, as well as professionals. The findings are also shared with scientific data repositories, such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Observations can be saved, organized and submitted on the web or through a free app.

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology (birds.cornell.edu): Along with eBird, the lab and its partners welcome help with other bird-monitoring projects: FeederWatch, NestWatch, October Big Day and Great Backyard Bird Count (with Audubon).

There are free apps: eBird, for submitting sightings; Merlin, to help identify birds by sight; and BirdNET, to identify birds by their vocalizations.

Audubon also has a free app that will includes tools to help with both auditory and visual identification.

• Audubon Christmas Bird Count (audubon. org): Now in its 120th year, CBC is the nation’s longest-running community science bird project.

For locations of count circles, go to the Virginia Society of Ornithology website (virginiabirds.org).

• Fourth of July Count (naba.org): Count circles for this annual butterfly count in or near Fauquier County include Airlie, Sky Meadows, Washington, Waterford and Shenandoah National Park.

• FrogWatch USA (aza.org/frogwatch): Hosted by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, this project can be done alone or with others and requires a few hours a week of listening frog and toad calls during breeding season.

• virginiamasternaturalist.org for more information, including the contact information for local chapters.

• citizenscience.org • citizensciencealliance.org FALL 2019

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Memories of the Bethel valley

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FALL 2019

A look back at what we had then, and what we have now

By Hope Porter The Bethel valley, after 60 years, is back in the news.

Sixty years ago, it was the Bethel Academy subdivision being approved by the planning commission with a 2 to 1 vote. Two adjacent farms, Leny Manor and Airlie went immediately on the market. Dr. Murdock Head stepped into the breach and bought both to save them from falling into the hands of a developer.

We did not realize it then, but the commission’s decision that fateful day was the “canary in the coal mine.” Fauquier adopted a master plan and ordinances that, seven years later, enabled the county to deal with a developer’s proposal to build 10,000 houses at North Wales.

Recently, the news from the Bethel valley is that Dr. Head’s three children are selling the land their father bought to save the valley, excluding, of course, the portion that American University owns at Airlie.

The Bethel Military Academy, from which the area’s name was derived, was established in 1867 and closed its doors more than 100 years ago. All that was left when I was a child was a lovely grove of ancient oaks and the Bethel Methodist church, built in 1835.

Sometime in the mid-1930s, a camp was established under the oaks to house convicts who were building the new U.S. 17. Barracks were constructed so that on a summer night you could see in the windows the long chain running down the middle of the building with chains going off it to each bed.

Life with a convict camp as a neighbor could be exciting. We sometimes returned from an afternoon at the movies to find the farm swarming with deputies and bloodhounds. They on one occasion apprehended a convict hiding under the Airlie bridge.

When my family settled in the

Bethel valley in 1924, there were seven farms with children my three brothers’ ages – children who galloped over the countryside chasing imaginary foxes with imaginary hounds. The Bethel Bouncers appear quite often in my mother’s diary of that time: “The Bethel Bouncers are meeting here tomorrow,” she wrote, or “We are having a hunt breakfast for the Bethel Bouncers.” A Bethel Bouncer actually went on to become a master of the Warrenton Hunt.

After the Bethel Bouncers came years of running the Warrenton Pony Show and, after that, under the leadership of Polly Buchanan, came the Leny Manor Horse Show with an age limit of 21 for committee members. It was held in the field above the stone dam opposite the entrance to Airlie.

It was a lighthearted horse show, and everyone loved it. My brothers once entered my mother in the costume class, riding one of our cows.

She dutifully donned her side-saddle habit and was ready to go, but there was an insurmountable problem: the girth that fit my mother’s 18-hand horse did not fit the cow.

Once upon a time, there were three mills on Cedar Run The streams that no longer provided power, but they provided two generations of my family with swimming, skating, boating, fishing and just playing in the pools.

It was the three streams that came together on this farm, where I still live, that attracted my parents 97 years ago. It must have had the same effect on the native people who were here before us.

Today, on the lake that is Warrenton’s drinking water, there are swans and geese and ducks, and as I am too old for the water sports of my youth, they are a compensation.

The Bethel valley has seen many changes, but it is still a beautiful part of a very beautiful county.

Eco-friendly Fauquier Loving your Mother (Earth) has never been so simple WATERY MOUNTAIN ESSENTIALS

Doris Bitler Davis and her husband, Kirk Davis, founded and incorporated Watery Mountain Essentials in the Fall of 2017 and began selling “farm to shower” products last spring. Davis and her mother, Lois Bitler, make, package and mail most of Essentials extensive product line for women, men and children.

Davis says their candles, body bars, body washes, bubble baths, shampoos, conditioners, lotions and lip balm are eco-certified and made from raw, natural, vegan ingredients and essential oils such as coconut water and oil, glycerin, palm oil, oat extract, Vitamin E, sweet almond oil, avocado and hemp seed oil.

“Not many people who make soaps have an extensive line like we do,” says Davis, “and most do not make lotions, but we do.”

What Davis doesn’t make on site, she outsources from family-owned businesses all over the nation. “If (some of us) don’t want animal products in our food, why would we want them in our bath and body products,” Davis asks.

Davis also discovered the stamp and coin collectors secret of glassine paper, a bio-degradable type of shrink wrap that, she says, feels like wax paper, to reduce plastic from manufacturing and packaging.

“I’m your neighbor,” says Davis. “I want you to trust that I put good, affordable ingredients in my products from start to finish.” waterymountain.com

SEVEN OAKS LAVENDER FARM

Mother and daughter Edith and Deborah Williamson own and operate Seven Oaks Lavender Farm in Catlett. They make 75 percent of their eco-friendly products on the farm, sometimes, with the help of a few friends and neighbors.

“March through May is a time of preparation on the farm,” says Williamson. “We average about 10,000 visitors a (summer) season.”

Williamson and her mother pair the lavender with other natural ingredients like beeswax, shea butter, soy wax, essential oils, goat milk and fragrances. The ratio is usually 5 parts lavender to 2 parts of any other ingredient.

Williamson says anything made with lavender has natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, which means they make excellent eco-friendly household products and bug sprays.

Bugg Off is made from lavender, peppermint, essential oils and water,

an all-natural bug spray that doubles as a cleaning spray. Williamson says customers suffering from eczema have experienced healing from Bugg Off. sevenoakslavenderfarm.com

SIMPLY PURE PRODUCTS

In 2016, husband and wife Lanny Cornwell and Mary Lieb, owners of eco-friendly, sulfate-free hair salon Iva Bella, bought Simply Pure Products.

Simply Pure’s extensive product line includes bath, body, hair and facial care, natural makeup, home fragrances, candles, acne and eczema care, baby products, and a men’s line. They have an all-purpose cleaner made from infused essential oils.

All products are free of sulfates, parabens and petroleum, and are made and packaged on location.

Some ingredients used in the product lines include walnut and wheat germ oils, aloe vera, silk protein, which is high in amino acids, shea butter and rice powder, olive oil and red raspberry seed oil.

Eczema relief products contain detoxing grey salt and neem oil, a vegetable extract from the bark, fruit and seeds of the neem tree. Olive oil is also used for its anti-bacterial properties helpful in the treatment of skin conditions.

Simply Pure is receipt free and uses paper bags instead of plastic.

“We believe in what we do, everything locally-owned and -sourced” says Lieb. “It just makes sense to do everything we can for the environment.” simplypureproducts.com

NOW AVAILABLE AT WARRENTON JEWELERS

Recipes for eco-friendly cleaning:

• All-purpose cleaner: One-part white vinegar, one-part water, lemon rind, rosemary sprigs – combine ingredients, put into spray bottle, shake and infuse one week.

• Glass cleaner: 2 cups water, ½ cup white or cider vinegar, ¼ cup rubbing alcohol, 1-2 drops of orange essential oil (optional). Combine ingredients and pour into a spray bottle.

• Heavy-duty scrub: ½ lemon, ½ cup borax powder – Dip the lemon into the borax solution and scrub.

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– By Alissa Jones

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Faces & Places

WHO WE ARE AND WHERE WE GROW

Into the wood(s) with Joe Rossetti No, the Fauquier district advisor isn’t trying to coax syrup out of an oak. He’s plumbing for information to provide a glimpse into the health and age of the forest, via core sample.

Inside this section: ӰӰ ACRE: Saving the earth one seedling at a time ӰӰ Local historian Childs Burden makes the most out of the Mosby Area FALL 2019

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SEEING THE FOREST AND THE TREES

If you’re covered with canopy, then thank the ag-forestal district program Local forester Joe Rossetti has spent a lifetime learning to read the land – he says it’s an open book Stories and photos by Betsy Burke Parker

Joe Rossetti – left

Virginia Department of Forestry senior forester Age: 37 Hometown: Rixeyville Grew up: Suburb near Pittsburgh Why trees: Our house had a fireplace and a woodstove, and we spent a lot of time and energy cutting and splitting wood.

My dad loved pointing out the different bark, insect damage and growth pattern. It sparked my interest, early.

School: Forest management degree, West Virginia University Favorite tree: Sassafrass, it smells good, looks cool, the wood is beautiful.

You may not know: Foresters are considered “first responders.” In the case of a wildfire, they’re the police force and firefighters of the forest.

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Fred Koch isn’t sure what’s going on in his 28-acre backyard.

But he wants to find out.

“I’ve always wanted to know the story of the woods,” says the retired Prince William County school system maintenance worker.

This early autumn day, Koch has invited Department of Forestry se- Now that’s old nior forester Joe Rossetti to inspect • Until 2013, the oldest individual tree in the world was Methusehis land – a big woodland surroundlah, a 4,845-year-old Great Basin ing his house and half-acre of lawn. bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) in Koch is looking to enroll in an agrithe White Mountains of California. cultural forestal district, slicing his property taxes by agreeing to main- • Europe’s oldest tree, crowned in 2016, is a 1,075-year-old Bosnian tain and nurture the forest for the pine (Pinus heldreichii) growing in next decade, at least.

Greece. The tree — named Adonis To wander the woods with Rosafter the Greek god of beauty, youth setti is to unravel a tale as tangled and desire — took root in A.D. 941, as Koch’s forest floor. As the pair when the Vikings were still raiding departs a neatly maintained fouralong European coastlines. wheeler trail to plunge into the un• A yew living in a churchyard of the known woodland, the land quickly Llangernyw village in North Wales gives way to a busy, glorious mess, is estimated to be at least 4,000 a huge tract of mixed hardwoods years old, believed to have taken and evergreens with a light underroot during Britain’s Bronze Age. story of young trees and shrubs just nudging out of the loam. Birds call, a rabbit darts across a tiny glade, and this time. Waiting for Mr. Koch to the white tail of a small doe raises come along and be its steward.”

Koch, 62, visibly straightens, no in alarm as she bounds over a fallen longer mumbling about the mess pine and disappears into the woods and seeing it afresh as vibrant and of a neighboring parcel. alive.

Koch initially apologizes to Ros“I’ve owned this place for two setti about the litter underfoot, deyears now,” he says of what Rossetti composing Virginia pines giving way refers to as the old as they pass along a Barr tract. “I built game trail. He stum- The earth is 4.6 a house for me and bles over a tangle billion years old. my wife, and we parof brush hiding the celed off one tract so deep rut of an old Scaled to 46 years, our (adult) daughter roadbed and curses. humans have been could build a house “All this,” Rossetti here for four hours. next door for her gestures to the dapand her family. But pled sunlight reach- The industrial that’s it. ing through oaks revolution began one “I’m a land hoardand poplars to the minute ago. er, now,” Koch adds. earthy-scented for- In that time, more “That’s my game est floor and stops than half the world’s plan, to keep this Koch’s murmured forest healthy, for all forests have been explanation short. of us.

And I want it “All this shows a destroyed. to stay looking just healthy woodland. like this.”

“We want to leave the dead trees, Rossetti pats the trunk of a standthe snags,” he points to a perfect line of holes encircling the bark of ing-dead Virginia pine, first to coloa pine. “That’s what provides nutri- nize an area in this region, he says. ents for the next generation, homes “They’re a party tree,” Rossetti exfor the birds and bugs. We want to plains. “Live fast, party hard, die leave some young trees for browsers, young.”

Virginia pines grow to maturity in we want to leave some areas wild” so the wild things have a place to call about 20 years, dying and falling down to provide the rich hummus that feeds their own.

“This land has been waiting all slower-maturing hardwoods that

take hold when sunlight opens up as the begin to pines fall.

Standing-dead is good, too. “As long as it’s not threatening to fall on a building, or to close up your trail, leave it be,” Rossetti adds.

small tree’s age at no less than 129, a seedling during the tough Reconstruction years and witness to nearly a century-and-a-half of the comings and goings of life in central Fauquier County.

“Wow,” Koch says softly. “I can’t Into the forest I go, believe it.” to find my soul Many things affect the way the Rossetti stops deep in the forest tree grows, Rossetti explains, alterby a slender white oak, saying he ing the shape, thickwanted to core a tree ness, color and unito confirm the story We’ve got you covered formity of the rings. he’s piecing together • Area with tree canopy, At first, all trees, Fauquier: 50.3 percent from observation and shrubs, even weeds • Area with tree canopy, the Barr file. have plenty of air Virginia: 42.1 percent It seems a strange and sunlight, so they choice, Koch is saying • Area with tree canopy, grow at a similar rate.

U.S.: 25.8 percent as Rossetti pulls out a But soon, fastforesters’ measuring growers like Virginia tape that calculates diameter from pines speed up, beginning to shade circumference – 13.2 inches. the competition. When crowns be“I bet it’s about 40,” Koch dismiss- gin to touch, it’s game on: Larger es the small oak in favor of watching trees get larger; smaller trees slow another larger white-tail disappear their growth, or succumb. behind a stand of pines.

When a stand reaches harvest Rossetti grins. size, landowners often sell off timHe leans into the special coring ber, thinning mature trees to make tool – it looks like a metal T, boring a way for a new “crop” of younger tiny hole to the tree’s heart. trees. It’s a way to make money He carefully pulls out, bringing “farming” every 20 years or so, withwith it a perfect little round 13.2 inch out the daily effort of crops or livesliver of oak guts. stock, Rossetti explains.

Rossetti’s smile grows as he starts Narrow rings signify slow-growth counting. years, Rossetti is saying as he squints Koch notices Rossetti’s stillness to recount 1930s rings so close they and edges closer to see what the for- appear as a smudge. ester sees.

Though white oak is coveted by Every growing season, Rossetti timber operations, this one was is saying, a tree adds a new layer of clearly passed up in several recorded wood to its trunk. Wood formed in harvests, Rossetti says. spring grows fast, lighter in color be“I have records here of a 1935 harcause it consists of large cells. Sum- vest,” he says. The oak was too small mer growth is slower; the wood has in the ’30s to cut; wide growth rings smaller cells and is darker. Layers clearly show – even to the untrained appear as alternating rings of light eye – many years of excellent growand dark wood. ing conditions from 1936 to 1970.

Aging a tree from a core sample is “The canopy obviously opened quite easy: You might need glasses, up,” Rossetti says, surmising the but it really is as simple as count- land was probably sold during the ing rings. Experienced arborists go Depression as landowners cashed by 10s, marking on the sample with out. “New owners would have tima pen increments of 10 to keep the bered to net some profit right away numbers straight. from their purchase.”

Koch blinks when Rossetti tabuThe tree began to struggle again lates his 10s, confidently placing the 30 or so years later – the 1970s – as

Conservation? Or preservation? How about both?

Ever wondered why many national parks are surrounded by national forest?

The founding fathers of America’s public lands created the cooperative model a century ago, though it began through clashing philosophies.

Gifford Pinchot and John Muir had radically contrasting views of how to manage the nation’s wild lands: Muir promoted preservation and Pinchot advocated for conservation.

Pinchot’s vision was that government-owned land could be used by the public for recreation, as well as used, responsibly, by industry for logging, mining and many other purposes including extensive scientific research on tens of thousands of acres of land.

Pinchot, who would eventually start and serve as the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service that today manages and conserves 193 million acres of

Agricultural-Forestal District: What is it?

County code established agricultural and forestal districts to conserve and protect valuable agricultural and forestal lands. Fauquier has created 13 such districts as a mutual undertaking between landowners and the county.

Participating properties qualify for special land use assessment and subsequently lower real estate taxes.

The Fauquier Comprehensive Plan stresses the goal to “preserve open space, scenic beauty and the rural character of the county.”

With more than 200,000 acres of forested land, tree cover plays an important role in the fabric of the county. Trees provide the scenic backdrop Fauquier is famous for, protect water resources, provide wildlife habitat and offer outdoor recreation.

Woodlands also provide timber, firewood and other products that benefit the county economically. During the 1990s, $1 million of renewable forest products were harvested annually. As the population has increased, many of the large forested areas have remained mostly intact but are now owned by many individuals in smaller tracts.

Many new landowners are interested in managing their woodlands. Local agencies working with landowners include the Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Fauquier County Agricultural Development Office. In addition, there are numerous private consulting foresters and timber harvesting companies here.

Most of the interest is for growing or harvesting traditional timber products, though some property owners want to grow Christmas trees and other horticultural crops that require forestation such as mushrooms, ginseng and wild herbs. competition for air, light and water got tight when fast-growing, secondwave trees, mostly poplars, started to shade out the still-small oak.

Records indicate another timber harvest in ’79, but the oak was left standing once more.

The white oak added height and girth from 1980 to 1992. In ’92, Rossetti’s file shows the Barr family consulted with the forestry office to discuss planting Loblolly pines, a fast-growing pulpwood species.

“It says here that we discouraged that,” Rosssetti refers to his folder.

“It would have been too shady.” The history – recorded and observed, and ongoing, Rossetti says, caressing the tree’s nearly white bark, means

this small but ancient white oak is safe yet again, this time under a newly minted steward.

A walk of discovery

Rossetti and Koch continue their walk, making surprise discoveries along the way.

Near the northwest boundary, Rossetti notes an American fringe tree, a showy native, and a rare bigtooth Aspen near the center of the parcel. He points out a maple leaf viburnum at the southeast corner, an area a little more damp underfoot, probably from underground springs, Rossetti says.

See FORESTRY, page 54

forest, prevailed overall. He had help, though. President Theodore Roosevelt agreed that conservation was the best practice for most federal land.

The adoption of the conservation model resulted in national forests being multi-billion dollar economic engines for hundreds of small towns and communities. Many ski resorts are built in national forests, along with lakes for swimming and boating, along with trails for hiking and camping. Much domestic furniture is built from wood harvested from national forests.

John Muir’s preservation legacy advocated no industrial profit from federal land, and indeed his vision resulted in protecting more than 100 million acres managed by what’s now the National Park Service.

Yellowstone, Yosemite and Shenandoah parks show how, even today, the U.S. has developed a linked model. These parks, and many others, are connected to or completely surrounded by national forests or grasslands managed by the Forest Service.

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“

From The Hidden Life of Trees

by Peter Wohlleben

It all starts with the wolves

Wolves disappeared from Yellowstone, the world’s first national park, in the 1920s. When they left, the entire ecosystem changed. Elk herds in the park increased their numbers and began to make quite a meal of the aspens, willows and cottonwoods that lined the streams.

Vegetation declined, and animals that depended on the trees left. The wolves were absent for 70 years.

When they returned, the elks’ languorous browsing days were over. As the wolf packs kept the herds on the move, browsing diminished, and the trees sprang back. The roots of cottonwoods and willows once again stabilized stream banks and slowed the flow of water.

This, in turn, created space for animals such as beavers to return. These industrious builders could now find the materials they needed to construct their lodges and raise their families. The animals that depended on the riparian meadows came back, as well.

The wolves turned out to be better stewards of the land than people, creating conditions that allowed the trees to grow and exert their influence on the landscape.

Why are trees such social beings?

Why do they share food with their own species and sometimes even go so far as to nourish their competitors?

The reasons are the same as for human communities: there are advantages to working together.

A tree is not a forest. On its own, a tree cannot establish a consistent local climate. It is at the mercy of wind and weather.

But together, many trees create an ecosystem that moderates extremes of heat and cold, stores a great deal of water and generates a great deal of humidity. And in this protected environment, trees can live to be very old.

To get to this point, the community must remain intact no matter what. If every tree (was) looking out only for itself, then quite a few of them would never reach old age. Regular fatalities would result in many large gaps in the tree canopy, which would make it easier for storms to get inside the forest and uproot more trees. The heat of summer would reach the forest floor and dry it out. Every tree would suffer.

Every tree, therefore, is valuable to the community and worth keeping around for as long as possible.

And that is why even sick individuals are supported and nourished until they recover. Next time, perhaps it will be the other way round, and the supporting tree might be the one in need of assistance.

“

Every day in the forest was a day of discovery

This led me to unusual ways of managing the forest. When you know that trees experience pain and have memories and that tree parents live together with their children, then you can no longer just chop them down and disrupt their lives with large machines.

FORESTRY, from page 53 A big old stump near the property corner is probably an American chestnut, the “survey marker” before GPS. “You’re like a sleuth,” Rossetti agrees with Koch’s guess about an old roadbed slicing the woods east to west. “This would have been all open farmland in the 1800s. A road would get lower and lower from traffic.” Since Koch’s land is quite near busy modern Meetze Road, it’s not impossible the original road went right through his land, Rossetti adds, bending down to pull out a handful of invasive Japanese stilt grass growing along what was probably a Civil War through-way.

“I’ll advise you to work on eliminating the invasives,” Rossetti says as he concludes the survey.

Forest management plans are relatively simple, he notes, tailored for each landowner, each woodland. Some landowners, like Koch, actively manage their own woodlands.

“Engage in the land, that’s what we call it,” Rossetti says. “If I recommend they remove understory, or take down some standing dead trees, they want to do it themselves. They want to keep the trails clear, they want to enjoy what they’re preserving.

“Others aren’t interested, or aren’t able. Maybe an older landowner, or someone who lives in the city and owns property.” In this case, owners contract help for land management. “Either way works.”

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Management plans can also be rather specific, Rossetti notes, down to managing for a single species. Deer and turkey are most popular, he says, for obvious reasons, but others want to manage for fox, or rabbit – or both, even squirrels. He’s had a few that managed for black bears – possible since dens only require a 2-foot diameter hollow tree trunk, Rossetti says.

The most exotic resident he’s managed for was a colorful salamander that needed downed woody debris rotting in damp, though not waterlogged, forest floor.

“I get people wanting to make their forest lands friendly for birds, for owls, sometimes for bats. I think we’re lucky to have so many people so engaged in the land.

“We understand their needs. The needs of the landowners, and the needs of the animals. They all win.”

Contact your local forester

Virginia Department of Forestry 675 Frost Avenue Warrenton 540-347-6358 Senior area forester Joe Rossetti: joe.rossetti@ dof.virginia.gov Urban and community forester Kinner Ingram: kinner.ingram@dof.virginia.gov Area forester Sarah Parmalee: sarah.parmalee@dof.virginia.gov

When was your tree born?

The easiest way to tell the age of a tree is to cut it down and count the interior rings – quite literally, one per year.

But you can also get a pretty accurate estimate without killing your tree. One way is to have a professional obtain a core boring of the tree and count the annual rings, though some feel this invasive method may damage a tree.

An easy way anyone can make a good guess uses some simple measurements and calculations.

1. Wrap a tape measure around your tree at about four and a half feet above the ground. This measurement is the tree's circumference.

2. Calculate the diameter: Diameter=circumference divided by pi (3.14).

3. Multiply the diameter by the “growth factor” of your tree species. Trees growing in the open are most accurate for this reading.

Growth factors for common Piedmont trees: 3.0 Linden 3.5 River birch 4.0 Red oak 4.5 Walnut, red maple 5.0 White birch, white oak, black cherry 7.0 Dogwood, ironwood, redbud

Innovative local group ACRE: planting the seeds of change

Brian’s Tree Service 24 years experience

Fifteen years ago, Chandler Van Voorhis and Carey Crane, both longtime conservation experts, saw the opportunity to help battle climate change and make a significant profit at the same time. In 2003, they founded ACRE – Advanced Carbon Restored Ecosystem Investment Management, a conservancy-based organization in The Plains.

It stirred a vision, they said, to grow trees that would create valuable carbon credits that could be sold.

Today, that emerging market has become white hot, and the pair sells carbon credits to giants like Shell, Norfolk Southern Railway, Duke Energy, United Airlines and a growing list of corporations eager to offset their carbon footprint.

To create the credits, they have more than 500 partnering landowners and have put more than 120,000 acres under easement across the southeast. It’s a huge number – about 72 million trees already.

Their goal of one million acres planted would offset carbon emissions by a measurable amount, and by extension, help curb global warming.

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Here’s how they plan to get there

• The ACRE business model is simple in concept, but unique in practice. They grow the saplings they plant, about a million per year. They partner with landowners using that land to grow the young seedlings.

ACRE crews manage the trees for the landowners.

ACRE execs translate how many trees are planted, and how much carbon will be offset, into a monetary value for each landowner.

• A side benefit: The growing trees’ root structures help filter and clean the water runoff before it reaches nearby streams, creating more monetary value for the partners. The trees create the credits as they grow, and when demand is highest, the credits are sold to the large, carbon-creating corporations. At that point, ACRE shares the financial reward with their partnering landowners.

• The science is defined. The calculations are verified by an independent organization, and the credits are registered with the American Carbon Registry. Already this year, ACRE has moved more than 1,000,000 credits and is on target to double that by the year’s end. acre-investment.com

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Childs Burden: Saving the stories to save the land History buff puts knowledge to work for heritage area

By Pat Reilly Watching development take over much of the former agricultural land of his native north shore of Long Island, New York still haunts Childs Burden.

It left a lasting impression on this preservationist who adopted Virginia’s Piedmont as his home in 1975.

“Folks just seemed to accept it as inevitable,” he recalls sadly. “I witnessed the very character change. The sense of place we enjoyed evaporated, and the loss left a strong impression on me.”

Traveling between New York and the University of Virginia, he’d drive past battlefields that still looked the way they had on the day of battle. Long Island made no effort to guide its development, Burden recalls. In Virginia, he saw, there was still time.

Burden and his wife, Elaine, moved to Loudoun County in 1975. At that time, there were 43,000 people living there.

Today, Loudoun has 430,000 residents.

Even back then, Burden saw it as a modern-day battle, a matter of life-and-death that was critical to win. In the wake of the epic Disney clash – a victory for the conservationists, Burden and a handful of preservationist friends formed the Mosby Heritage Area Association.

Many consider “citizens vs. Disney,” as it came to be known, to be Virginia’s biggest engagement since Lee surrendered at Appomattox.

In 1993 and ’94, the Walt Disney Company quietly bought up land near Haymarket for a planned theme park to be called Disney’s America, to cartoonize the nation’s history. Ironically, the proposed site had actually been a Civil War battlefield and was within miles of the Manassas National Battlefield Park, site of two seminal battles.

“That’s when we got up on our hind legs,” says the soft-spoken Burden, crediting the late Janet Whitehouse and Millicent West with leading the charge of what would be a formidable and ultimately successful grassroots action that shut down the plan.

The Mosby Heritage Area encompasses the landscape covered by Confederate scout John Singleton Mosby and his band of mounted rangers. It is bordered by the Bull Run Mountains on the east, Blue Ridge Mountains on the west, Potomac River on the north and the Manassas Gap Railroad, now I-66, on the south.

“We have a living history museum here. We don’t need to create one,” says a still incredulous Burden, now chairman emeritus, but for many years chair and president of the MHAA. The association commissioned a map by Gene Scheel with help from local historian John Gott that shows the old roads, houses, churches, stores and Native American sites.

“I use history as a hook,” Burden says of the wider notion of conservation. “The landscape here tells an incredible number of interesting stories.”

His interest was piqued when he began to research the stories of the three cavalry battles that took place in late June 1863 along the Ashby Gap Turnpike, now U.S. 50, in the lead-up to Gettysburg. He soon realized there was little written about the significance of those battles in shielding General Lee’s march north 56

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Childs Burden accepts a conservation award, one of many for the former Mosby Heritage Area president.

Wonder if he gets bored with boards?

In addition to the MHAA, Childs Burden has also served on the boards of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation, Virginia Land Trust, Virginia Outdoors Association, Oatlands Historic House and Gardens, Civil War Trust, Loudoun County Historical Society, Loudoun County Heritage Commission, Mt. Zion Preservation Association and historic Long Branch. along the Shenandoah Valley.

In the late 1980s, Congress was considering which Civil War battle sites to preserve, Burden says.

The Civil War Sites Advisory Commission identified 10,000 battle or skirmish sites nationally, of which only 384 were earmarked for funding. Sites of the battles of Upperville, Middleburg and Aldie were among those eligible for 50 percent funding for preservation. The state of Virginia provided $2 million to preserve battlefields statewide.

Odd allies

Conservation has gained an unlikely ally in the U.S. Department of Transportation. The government had allotted funds for preservation of historic sites near certain roadways.

Mt. Zion Church, built in 1851, had been in decline since 1980 in a prominent spot on U.S. 50. The congregation had donated the land and building to Loudoun County because it had served various purposes during the Civil War, including a rendezvous point for Mosby’s Rangers, a hospital, prison and a battleground. The graveyard contains more than 240 marked headstones – even the grave of a War of 1812 veteran. It qualified for a DOT grant.

In the course of restoring and preserving the church, a property across the highway was put up for sale, and the Mt. Zion Preservation Association purchased it.

When preservationists discovered a plan was in the works to build a bypass around Aldie and Middleburg, the battle-lines were drawn once again.

“That would have bisected the battlefields of Aldie and Middleburg,” Burden says.

The preservationists suggested traffic calming and traffic circles instead, which solved the traffic problem and protected the historic landscape.

The MHAA reaches 5,000 students a year in 40 schools in five counties: Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Warren and Clarke. They have developed booklets on historic sites in each county.

“We grab the attention of the students by showing them the history that occurred near their schools,”

Burden unravels one of history’s mysteries at forgotten Atoka roadside site

Near Atoka on U.S. Route 50, there is a sign that tells the traveler that famous writers of the 20th century visited a nearby plantation. A few hundred yards east is a less noticed 19th century headstone, shadowed by the leafy arc of a gnarled redbud beside a board fence, its epitaph erased by time and weather.

Many have wondered who was buried there.

Childs Burden unearthed the mystery.

He was reading the diaries of those who fought under Confederate Gen. Jeb Stuart in the battles of Upperville and Middleburg. Burden found this poignant note written by Lt. Lewis T. Nunnelee of Lynchburg: “We learned at Upperville … that the mangled remains of John T. Edmundson had been interred by the side of the rock wall where he fell… I visited the grave of … Edmundson and learned from Misses Gibson that the enemy had buried him on Sunday (June 21) as they passed by but that their father, Mr. Nelson Gibson, had him disinterred and a neat pine coffin made, into which he put the mangled remains and had him buried a short distance from where he was first interred.”

A brass marker now notes that Edmundson, age 20, was hit by a shell while talking with comrades.

Burden explains. “We’ve done scavenger hunts for the counties involved, with questions such as ‘How many windows in the Mt. Zion Church,’ or ‘Can you find a Civil War soldier in the graveyard’.”

For all that, though, his favorite accomplishment came from the Land Trust and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. “I love talking about history, but unless you get that deed restricted and the agricultural resources and the resources of the land protected through easement … that’s when you have really succeeded,” says Burden.

“We’ve got 70,000 acres in Loudoun in easement, and that’s about 20 percent of the total 400,000 acres,” Burden says. “We have 110,000 acres in Fauquier, 25 percent, in easement.

“There’s development pressure coming from the east. They’re hitting this wall of easements, and it’s stopping them cold.”

Middleburg’s Dulany Morison was recently named chairman of the MHAA. He plans to expand educational activities offered by the group.

The views from Valley View

Valley View Farm near Delaplane grows a number of crops and a wide variety of livestock, including fruit, vegetables, beef cattle, meat and egg chickens and grapes.

Family farm story began almost a century ago It’s a story we are all familiar with: the disappearing family farm. In 1920, there were more than six million farms scattered from sea to shining sea. Today just two million are left.

While that number is stabilizing, big monoculture farms are increasing, not family farms.

It’s refreshing to hear the story that began a century ago and is still going strong.

“My great grandfather purchased the land for my grandfather back in the 1920s. He operated a beef and horse farm and rode in the Cobbler Hunt with George Patton of World War II fame,” said Philip Carter Strother, who operates Valley View Farm near Paris.

Belle Meade Products (later Distillery) was created in 1934 by Daniel C. Sands, Barrett Elliott and C. Edward Strother, Philip’s grandfather.

With the end of prohibition in 1933, Belle Meade produced whiskey at a cost of 31 cents per gallon. The whiskey was taken in tanks by railroad to Richmond, where it was bottled, labeled and sold.

Strother, 49, is the current owner of both the farm and Philip Carter Winery in Hume. Valley View encompasses 500 acres in the scenic Crooked Run Valley off U.S. 17.

“Twenty-six years ago, my father planted the first peach orchard and started a pick-your-own operation.

We have been welcoming people to the farm the ever since,” he said.

Strother is quick to point out he does not call himself the owner of the farm. Rather he’s the steward.

“This is a generational farm. We

believe as a family we are here for a short time, and during that time the person who has management authority over the farm is the steward,” Strother said. “It’s that person’s responsibility to leave the farm a little bit better than it came to them.

To carry it forward, to preserve it, to maintain it and to enhance it for the next generation.”

Today, operations include fruit, vegetables, wine, family activities and more. In addition to pick-yourown, farm guests can stop by the farm’s tasting room and enjoy a glass of hard cider, mead, peach wine or white or red table wine.

In keeping with Strother’s stewardship philosophy, this spring a partnership initiative with George Mason University will release up to a half a million honey bees that will support 10 hives.

Much of the typical Western diet requires bee pollination. Insect-pollinated crops are valued at $175 billion in the U.S. alone.

Another initiative is a collaborative effort with Sky Meadows State Park to restore an old farm road that backdrops both properties. When completed, it will allow guests from both the farm and the park to hike, jog or ride horses between the two venues.

“The stables would be in Sky Meadows and people could ride over to Valley View. We will have a hitching post and guests could have a pint of cider or glass of wine and then head back to Sky Meadows on horseback,” said Strother. valleyviewva.com.

– BY JOHN HAGARTY

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Fare & Flair

LIVING WELL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE

Showing their colors Inside this section: 影影 Everything including the kitchen sink becomes relevant to conservation 影影 Cheer the changing season with a taste of fall

Native species need our support: Learn how to enjoy their displays and help protect their habitats Story by Sally Semple Photo by Chris Cerrone

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PHOTOS BY RANDY LITZINGER

Kermit the Frog said it best: ‘It’s not easy being green’ Go native. The bugs will thank you.

By Sally Harmon Semple You shop green, recycle and lessen your carbon footprint, but it's not so easy to see how your choices improve the world.

The easiest – and most visible – way to improve the planet can be found in your own back yard: plant Virginia natives.

America's yards have long been blanketed with lawn grass from Europe, Asia and Africa, colored at their edges with Asian crepe myrtle and Japanese maple, and bordered with privet hedges and boxwood from abroad. Even our so-called American boxwood originated in Europe.

Purchasing from big-box stores because prices are so attractive, we plant masses of azaleas, hydrangeas, spirea and holly from Asia, even though Virginia has its own beautiful native species of these plants.

As America's lawns expand — they total three times more than any irrigated U.S. crop — so does the removal of native species. The steady

Bang for your green buck – Planting for the common good Woody plants Native Oaks (Quercus ) River Birch (Betula nigra) High-bush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) Serviceberry (Amelanchier)

Perennial flowers Goldenrod (Solidago) Smooth or New England Asters (Symphyotrichum laeve or S. novaeangliae) Joe Pye (Eupatorium, Eutrochium) Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) 60

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replacement of native vegetation with plants from abroad, coupled with the escape of aggressive nonnatives into un-managed land, is destroying the beautiful balance of the ecosystem.

Not all non-native plants are inherently harmful or provide no value to humans or to wildlife, but the balance of non-native to native vegetation has become dangerously skewed.

Plants are at the base of the food web. Allowing native plants to perish causes the animals who depend on those plants to perish, including insects. Like it or not, humans depend on bugs, and insect population is crashing.

In 2012, the International Union for Conservation of Nature reported that 20 percent of the world's insects, spiders, worms and other invertebrates were in danger of extinction, for reasons ranging from pollution and over-harvesting to the effect of invasive species and native habitat loss. Now in 2019, the peer-reviewed journal Biological Conservation reports an estimated 40 percent of insects are in decline, with even steeper reductions in butterflies and bees.

Invertebrates, as famed biologist E.O. Wilson wrote, are “the little things that run the world.” Frogs, song birds and freshwater fish depend on insects to survive. Humans depend on insects to pollinate more than one-third of the world's crops, including alfalfa which in turn is used to feed dairy cows.

Food is pollinated by bees, butterflies, moths, birds, bats and beetles.

Insects aerate the soil.

Dung beetles and hosts of other

Where to find native plants

Plant sales: plantnovanatives.org Specialty vendors: pecva.org

insects help decompose detritus, curbing harmful pests, even disease, and again improving the soil.

And they work for free.

A hearty population of native plants is needed to feed the caterpillars, pollinators, beetles and wealth of insects on which the food supply depends. Maintaining this diversity in the ecosystem is key to a healthy and resilient environment.

So why don't the insects just start eating non-native plants? As every gardener knows, some generalist insect pests do. But insects have co-evolved with their host plant counterparts over tens of millions of years, and many cannot just suddenly switch to a diet of non-natives.

Research shows that insect numbers and diversity decrease when we grow non-native plants.

Native insects often do not have the enzymes required to digest leaves from non-natives, or they simply face mechanical impediments — the shape of their mouth parts may not allow them to reach the plant part they eat. They might not even recognize the non-native plant as a potential food source.

Over time, the physiology or morphology of some insects may change. But these changes, if they occur at all, are not rapid enough to prevent the current crash of the insect population.

As for the generalist insects, a country full of Japanese beetles, spotted lantern flies and stink bugs will not pollinate crops or feed songbirds.

So the next time you want a new tree, shrub or perennial in the backyard garden, instead of going for the plant from Asia that happens to be in bloom at the home improvement store, do a little research and select a Virginia native. It’s an easy, and certain, way to go green.

A native monarch butterfly caterpillar

Native plant plot in Old Town Warrenton

Named in honor of the former Piedmont Environmental Council vice president Doug Larson, a native plant pollinator garden was unveiled last spring at the Horner Street PEC office.

The garden has 118 species of native perennials, woodies and grasses.

The garden was designed by Dan Holmes, director of state policy for PEC, who has a background in horticulture and a masters in landscape design.

PEC’s habitat and stewardship specialist, Celia Vuocolo selected the native perennials and grasses for the garden, focusing on species that attract pollinators.

Drive-by beauty Highway wildflowers are a popular program For much of the decade, the Virginia Department of Transportation has created naturalized areas with native plantings along state-maintained roadways to provide habitat for pollinator species through its innovative Pollinator Habitat Program.

Pollinators — including honey bees, native bees, butterflies, birds, bats and even flies — move pollen from one plant to another; only fertilized flowers can set fruit or seeds.

The program also decreases erosion and storm water runoff while providing sediment control. Highway crews use fewer pesticides to combat harmful bugs and less herbicides to control roadside weeds, and the aesthetics are greatly enriched.

The program is funded through the purchase of the wildflower and protect pollinators license tags through the DOT.

HOME & GARDEN

Conservation nation tackles the tub Learn insider tips from the tradesmen (and stop flushing money down the toilet)

By Alissa Jones The biggest drain on water use is leakage, say experts. When toilets and faucets drip, it is running up your bill. inFauquier caught up with some of the area’s most experienced tradesmen for some user-friendly home-care tips to prevent the leak from reaching your wallet. inFauquier: When is the best time of the day to use appliances like your dishwasher and washing machine?

Mike Appleton, Appleton Campbell: This answer will be different for everyone, based on their schedule.

The best time to use automatic appliances like dishwashers and washing machines would be when you are not using any other hot water in the home. This will help keep stress off the water heater because it keeps the demand for hot water small.

Mike Rowzee, MRC Plumbing: You use the same amount of energy no matter what time of the day you wash your clothes or use your dishwasher.

However, you may want to contact your electric company to see if they have different rates at different times. inF: Is there a best time to water outdoor plants and your lawn?

AC: From a plumber’s perspective, the amount of time spent watering plants and grass is much more important than the time of day. Water just enough to get the soil saturated.

One should refrain from watering during hours of direct sunlight, as water beads can act as a “sunlight magnifier” to plants and grass.

MRC: The very best time to water plants is in the early morning, while it is still cool. This will allow the water to run down into the soil and reach the roots of the plant without too much evaporation. inF: How important is drain cleaning or flushing? How often should it be done?

AC: Very good question! Drain maintenance is a must to keep drains free-flowing. It all starts with proper installation – the grade that the waste piping is installed is very important.

If too steep, the water will move faster than the solids and leave them behind. If too flat, neither water or solids can move down the drain.

The proper grade is around 1 inch vertical drop for every 4 feet of hori-

zontal pipe. We often use our waste pipe inspection cameras to evaluate the condition of the piping.

We have specialty tools, like high pressure hydro-jetters that can bring most drains back to a “like new” condition. Hydro-jetters are basically powerwashers for the inside of your waste lines and can be used on all sizes of piping.

Something you can do on your own to help keep waste lines flowing well is to put some grease-fighting dish soap down the drain with about 10 seconds of very hot water, then plug the sink and fill to the brim with cold water, and then release. This will often flush any build-up right down the drain and out of the house but should only be done when there are no current issues with draining. It will not fix a clogged or slow drain.

The best time to do this would be right after dishes are washed or right after the automatic dishwasher runs.

MRC: There are a lot of opinions about flushing drainpipes yearly. My opinion is that if the pipes are draining as they should, no flushing is needed. inF: What types of appliances can help conserve water?

AC: The simple answer to this is all of them, but only when they are used properly. Always make sure the washing machine is set to the correct load size and only run the dishwasher when its full.

MRC: Replace an old washing machine with one that is labeled Energy Star-certified. Most Energy Star washers use four times less energy than those manufactured before 1999.

To save more water, look for a “low water factor.” The lower the water factor, the less water the machine uses. inF: What about smart controllers or drip irrigations or aerators on faucets?

AC: Aerators on faucets are great!

They mix air into the stream of water coming from the faucet to limit the amount of water without having a negative impact on the flow.

Irrigation systems that are set up on a controller set with automatic start and stop times are going to be the best systems you can get for making sure you are not over or under watering. Controller systems can work with sprayer heads or drip systems, and the best one all depends on the

type of vegetation you are watering.

MRC: By installing WaterSense labeled faucet aerators and showerheads, the average family can save nearly 3,500 gallons of water and nearly 410 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year as quoted on the energystar.org website. inF: Whats the scoop on leaky toilets?

AC: One of my favorite subjects, and a very common problem that is often more involved than most people would think. The number one cause of leaking toilets is water quality. Whether you are on private well water with silt or sediment present, or city water with chlorine present, leaking toilets are likely due to the quality of water.

Water quality problems are very different from house to house, and you should always have your water tested by an expert before choosing a filtration system. A water-quality expert should be able to do an in-home test and give you results on the spot and then be able to design a system that will work best for your water, your home and your family’s water consumption.

Leaky or running toilets are often a result of “toilet flapper” failure but can also be at the fault of your toilets “fill valve.”

It’s a good practice to replace both at the same time and always replace the flapper with the same style that is recommended by the manufacturer of the toilet.

MRC: Replace old toilets. The major water use inside the home is toilet flushing.

The average leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water per day.

To determine if your toilet is leaking, place about 10 drops of food coloring in the tank and wait approximately 15 minutes. If the dye appears in the bowl, you have a leaking toilet.

inF: What length of shower helps to conserve water?

AC: Showers should be long enough to get you clean. A great trick to conserve the most water is to turn the shower all the way to hot before you get in to let the water heat up, then once the hot water is present, temper it back down to a comfortable level. This will keep from wasting the cold water that mixes with hot during the “warm up” period.

MRC: The average person showers eight minutes, using 2.5 gallons a minute. You can save energy by taking a faster shower. inF: Does it save more water to wash dishes by hand or to use a dishwasher?

AC: It depends on how many dishes you have to wash. Only run the dishwasher once it is completely full. If you only have a few dishes that need to be cleaned, then washing by hand can be much more efficient.

MRC: If the dishwasher is full and only run one time that day, the dishwasher is more efficient. If you have to wash dishes by hand each time after three meals, the average person will use more energy than the dishwasher will.

Appleton Campbell is headquartered in Warrenton. They opened in 1976, and serve Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William, Fauquier, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Orange, Green, Madison and Rappahannock. info@appletoncampbell.com MRC Plumbing and Heating in Warrenton opened in 1988. They serve Fauquier, Prince William, Rappahannock, Loudoun County, Culpeper and surrounding areas. info@mrcplumbing.com Per energystar.org: If your home was built before 1992 and you haven’t replaced your toilets recently, you could benefit from installing a WaterSense labeled model that uses 1.28 gallons or less per flush. A family of four can save 16,000 gallons of water per year by making this change.

Conservation tips: fcwsa.org wateruseitwisely.com FALL 2019

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Turkeys gone wild Help out with gobbler tracking this season Stories By Pam Owen

PHOTO BY LARRY SHERETZ

VDGIF is looking for hunters to collect data on wild turkey during the spring hunting season.

The survey says …

To investigate at smaller geographic scales, VDGIF breaks data from spring surveys into six physiographic regions: Northern, Southwest, Central Mountain, East Piedmont, West Piedmont and Tidewater.

In 2018, gobblers in the Northern region were heard more per hour than any other region of the state, with the Southwest and East Piedmont regions coming close behind. In 2017, the Southwest region led the state.

Reports include observations of other animals: survey participants reported hearing 199 grouse drumming, and seeing 109 coyotes and 59 bears.

Don’t just grouse about it, join the survey and help Many bird species, along with humans and other mammals, are susceptible to West Nile Virus. Among the bird species in Virginia that can be infected by WNV are two gamebirds, ruffed grouse and wild turkey.

The primary way humans contract WNV is from mosquitos that have fed on infected birds. According to the Virginia Department of Health, last year Virginia experienced its highest number of cases of the virus reported in humans, 38, since the first case was reported in 2001. The 2018 cases represented a wide, contiguous swath of health districts running vertically through Virginia, including Fauquier County.

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While the record rainfall may have led to an uptick in mosquito populations, the effect of heavy rains on mosquito booms and busts is complex and is still being researched.

With the virus now occurring in all 48 contiguous states, Virginia is among those that have started focusing on surveilling and controlling the virus in bird populations, particularly gamebirds. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries reports in recent years the commonwealth has seen regional declines in grouse numbers and harvest, but the connection to WNV, if any, is unclear.

In 2015, when a grouse biologist for the Pennsylvania Game Commis-

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is looking for help with surveying wild turkey populations during the 2020 spring hunting season.

While the results from the 2019 survey are not due out until this fall, says project leader Gary Norman, with data from 93 counties and cities, some 2,845 hunts yielded reports of 4,769 gobblers, an average of 21 birds per hunter.

Survey data is organized broadly into counties east and west of the Blue Ridge. In 2018, gobbling rates were identical in both regions, a trend that has held true for every year since 2013, except for 2015, when rates for the east were much higher than for the west.

Only males are counted in the survey, reported by the number heard per hour. That number has been declining over the last decade, the report shows. Last year, the average number of gobblers heard per hour, 0.44, had declined 12 percent from the previous year and was 15 percent below the six-year average.

While the annual gobbling rates over the last decade have been stable, harvest rates show a downward annual rate. Further, research shows that harvest rates are a better population index than gobbling rates.

VDGIF monitors both. gary.norman@dgif.virginia.gov

WNV impact on wild turkey

Wild turkey populations have declined in many states from historic highs that peaked 10-15 years ago. Populations peaked here in 2015 and have since declined by 13 percent, though it’s unclear the role WNV plays.

Since the virus was introduced in Pennsylvania, in 1999, the reproductive success of wild turkey has been falling.

The highest rate of bird disease and death from WNV occurs in crows, ravens and jays, robins, bluebirds, chickadees, tufted titmice and house wrens — all of which are native to the Virginia Piedmont. A host of gamebird species, including wild turkey and ruffed grouse, are also susceptible to the virus.

Horses are the most common host among mammals. Antibodies to the disease, indicating exposure, have been reported in coyotes, fox, raccoons, bear, fox squirrels, gray squirrels, eastern chipmunks, cottontail, deer and some bat species. sion found the ruffed grouse population plummets in years when mosquito population spikes, the state began studying blood samples collected for the study by hunters.

VDGIF reimburses hunters $25 for each sample they send as an incentive for them to stop hunting long enough to collect the blood, which does not take “a lot of time,” Gary

Norman says. “Hunters are our only reasonable way to collect samples.”

The next phase of this project will be to look at the prevalence rate of the virus in the environment, specifically, in mosquitoes that carry and transmit the virus, Norman adds. Although studies have shown that domestic turkeys don’t carry the virus, the wild turkey does.

Do not miss being part of our fall edition.

DeaDline for aDs: OCTOBER 4 Print Date: OCTOBER 30

Contact our advertising representatives at 540-347-4222 www.fauquier.com

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FOOD & WINE

A toast to taste in seasonal brews

By John Daum

With the fall season in full swing, supermarket shelves and convenience store beer cases are bursting at the seams with the latest spin on seasonal ales to tempt thirsty beer hunters.

Mixed in among the more edgy offerings is a category of beer that at one time seemed like a radical departure from the safe haven of Oktoberfest style beers. Today, pumpkin-flavored beer is now as conventional as a West Coast IPA or a Belgian Wit. Not long ago, this strange import with roots in Mexican beer culture seemed like a flash in the pan, a cheap Halloween marketing ploy to lure parents looking for some adult trick or treating to call their own. Early players like Dogfish Head’s Punkin’ or Schlafly’s Pumpkin Ale were quickly embraced by beer drinkers looking for something interesting to hold them over until the winter season arrived with its delicious parade of porters and stouts.

But what initially appeared a throw-away category soon morphed into a seasonal anchor where breweries – local, regional, national and global – started to compete for attention with bigger and bolder varieties of the style.

Barrel-aged pumpkin ales with high alcohol content and notes of bourbon, vanilla, even coffee ushered in an entirely new, complex category of brew.

Keep it local by starting with an easy sipper: Old Bust Head’s Old Jail brew is a tasty pumpkinpeach brown ale.

Another Virginia autumn option is Farmhouse Pumpkin from Richmond’s Hardywood Brewery.

This beer is brewed in the saison style which creates a more delicate balance of pumpkin and spice flavors mixing together in its taste profile.

A nod to the season is on tap through most area breweries offering pumpkin, spice and other fall-flavored beers this autumn.

PHOTO BY JOHN DAUM

• Blue Mountain’s Barrel House Spooky is a pumpkin ale that forgoes the usual pumpkin pie spice blend. Instead, Blue Mountain ages Spooky in Bourbon barrels and adds cacao nibs to give it a touch of sweetness.

• Ardent captures the essence of the fall holidays in their Sweet Potato and Sage Saison, a Belgian farmhouse beer.

• AleWerks Pumpkin Ale is brewed In Williamsburg. Nothing too fancy here, but this autumn treat has pleasant notes of pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon that can take the edge off an afternoon of raking leaves.

• Hardywood is well-known for its barrel-aging program, and for many the release of the rye-barrel-aged Farmhouse Pumpkin beer is a

precursor to their renowned Gingerbread Stout season. Hardywood ages Farmhouse in both rum and rye whiskey barrels, lending a distinctive finish to the sweet sip.

• The marriage of two top-selling styles of the past few years, Three Notch’d Pumperkin is named for the pumpkin ales of Colonial times, linking the familiar pumpkin ale flavor with traditional English hops.

Make a note on your calendar – the pumpkin beer season only lasts through early December, so either way, it’s a fleeting blip. Either it’ll be gone soon like you secretly wish, or you’ll relish this taste of the season before it disappears like the last piece of pie at Thanksgiving.

Fauquier’s got a way with wines Follow the county’s official Wine Trail for fun this fall Virginia’s Wine Country has a lot in store this season, with music and festivals and special events across the region. More events are added and updated daily: find more on the Fauquier Wine Trail at visitfauquier.com. ӰӰ Chateau O’Brien, Markham Chateau O'Brien will be holding wine tastings at Stribling Orchard every Saturday and Sunday through November. Stribling is a family-run pick-your-own orchard with apples, pumpkins, cider, locally-baked breads and pies and more. chateauobrien.com ӰӰ Arterra Wines, Delaplane Arterra Wine owner and resident artist Sandy Gray-Murray will lead a glazing class Sept. 28 at the winery 64

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near Delaplane. Participants will make a medium bowl with handpicked leaves from the Arterra estate. A complimentary glass of wine is included in what Murray calls the “sip and glaze” experience, or upgrade to a wine tasting. arterrawine.com ӰӰ Three Fox Vineyards, Delaplane Three Fox Vineyards has their annual harvest festival Oct. 19 at the winery along Goose Creek. Musician Jimmy Lee will perform. threefoxvineyards.com ӰӰ 44th annual Virginia Wine Festival, Ashburn Oct. 19-20 eventbrite.com

ӰӰ Blue Valley Winery, Delaplane Blue Valley Vineyard and Winery has a hallo-wine swing dance and party scheduled Oct. 25 from 7-11 p.m.

The masquerade dance with the Silver Tones Swing Band includes a free swing lesson with Ewa Burak and a glass of wine included in the admission price. bluevalleyvineyardandwinery.com

ӰӰ Fox Meadow Winery, Linden Fox Meadow Winery’s 10th annual chocolate and wine event is slated Nov. 2-3, making the natural link between two favorite tastes. Six of the winery’s award-winning wines will be paired with six different fudges for what owner Dan Mortland says is their most popular event of the year. foxmeadowwinery.com

FOOD & WINE

The good (and healthy) way to eat: Local Boland’s stock market Elaine Boland of Fields of Athenry and the SideSaddle Cafe has long recognized the healing powers of eating fresh and local. She also believes in the power of food as medicine via her homegrown, homemade bone broths.

By Sandy Greeley Elaine Boland has turned her 30-acre Fields of Athenry into a modern version of an old-fashioned working farm.

Boland grew up in a large family on a large Ohio farm with everything from cotton to cattle, and she vowed “to return to the farm” as an adult.

When she and her husband moved to Virginia, Boland’s childhood dream became reality. The name comes from an Irish ballad with a healing context, something that spoke to Boland, she says.

“The name comes from a close friend, Father James McCurry, whose family runs sheep in the true Fields of Athenry, Ireland’s Galway Bay,” she explains.

Boland first opened an on-site shop at the farm to sell health-promoting and nutritious soups, stews and soup stock, homemade and handmade, and using only farm-raised animals and ingredients.

“I started cooking at home,” she says, noting that one of her five daughters got sick, and she wanted to help “heal her” from the inside. “To make the soups and stocks, I used all the animal byproducts – knucklebones, lamb bones and chicken necks, feet and backs to make the broth.”

Boland cooked a dozen pots of broth a week.

“It really gives a boost to the immune system,” she maintains, saying it helped her daughter heal.

After simmering the bones for 24 hours or more, she strains off the liquid, leaving huge quantities of byproducts, even more than her pets can consume.

She dumps the remainders on her compost pile. It has turned the farm’s soil into “the richest black earth,” she says. “It really helps the fields. There are thousands of earthworms.”

She started raising more and more vegetables, which in turn inspired her next foray.

Several years ago, Boland closed the on-farm shop

and opened the Side Saddle Café in Middleburg. In addition to full lunch and dinner menus and carryout, Boland still makes and sells six different types of rich, nutrient-dense bone broths, pasture-raised meats, grass-fed and grass-finished beef and lamb, non-GMO and no soy- or corn-fed poultry and duck.

“So many restaurants call themselves ‘farm to table’, but for most, that is not true,” Boland says.

“We really are.” fieldsofathenryfarm.com

Escape Madness. the

No stress, no pressure, just magnificent wines.

Magnolia Vineyards & Winery is located in Amissville, just off scenic Route 211 in Rappahannock County, approximately 10 miles west of Warrenton. Owned by Glenn and Tina Marchione, we are a family-run boutique winery and vineyard, making small lots of mostly Bordeaux varietals. Quiet country peace, tranquility and great mountain views. Our regular tasting is paired with cheeses and chocolate. The Tasting Room is open year-round, including Thursday – Monday through the fall. Check our website (www.magnoliavineyards.com) or Facebook page for current hours and events.

We have partnered with nearby Granite Heights and Narmada wineries in a tasting voucher venture! Stop by any of the 3 to purchase yours for just $20 (plus tax) and it’s redeemable for a tasting at each winery (a $30 value).

200 Viewtown Rd., Amissville, VA • 703.785.8190 • magnoliavineyards.com FALL 2019

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Call me grandma

her funeral. He was very sad and, I grandmothers. Some are able to see believe, close to his mother, even their grandchildren often and others though he chose to make his life in only on holidays and special occasions. the U.S. I am blessed that mine are close.

I now have three grandchildren of my own. One of the most satisfying They are gifts in so many ways. For moments for me these days is when me, they are little teachers reminding one of them discovers the joy of a me that life is beautiful, wonderful, freshly-plucked piece of fruit from awesome and magical. They reach out. They touch. They explore. They grandma’s fig tree.

BY ANITA Maria is 4 and about to start pre- discover. They laugh. They share and SHERMAN school. Precocious, inquisitive and their young wisdom is inspiring.

What for us, as aging adults, has with a sparkling personality, she has perhaps become commonplace is for already inherited, what I believe is Hallmark inspired marketing gim- her grandma’s flair for making fash- them yet another gem in a treasure mick to find another reason to peruse ion statements. Piers, who will be 3 box. A pile of small pebbles from their card isles. the yard is for sorting in November, laughs and Now that I am a grandmother, I’m happily shouts out his evand counting and linglad there is a day to honor all of us er-increasing vocabulary A pile of small ing up and marveling at grandparents. each shape. Wind chimes of words. He has “grand- pebbles from I always wanted to have a grand- ma” solidly down. His the yard is for hanging from the tree mother I could visit and get to know, greatest love these days is are symphonies to young sorting and but that isn’t my story. On my moth- Thomas the Tank Engine ears. An ant. A caterpiler’s side, my grandmother died giving and being read to. I’m all counting and lar. A spider. These are all lining up and birth to their 10th child, a son. to be looked at carefully for that. and curiously.

She was 40.

Ada, the youngest, at marveling at Fauquier County, with Sadly, my grandfather would have nearly 2, fell asleep recenteach shape. its vistas and valleys, open little to do with this baby, blaming ly in my arms. I held her spaces and opportunities him for his wife’s death. My mother for more than an hour as to go for long walks under forested and her older sister raised him. her soft breathing and mine became On my father’s side, I knew I had one rhythm. What a gift to spend canopies is an inviting arena for their grandparents that were living in the that time in such closeness with her. young minds to explore and learn to Philippines. While I saw photos, I Once awake, she’s on the go, running, appreciate.

Toddlers are naturally creative. was never able to meet them. When tumbling and delighting in all things They face the canvas of life with a my grandmother died after a long around her.

I have several friends who are full spectrum of colored paints from and full life, my father went to attend their facial expressions, their grabbing and squeals, their investigation PHOTO BY SAWYER GUINN of your dangling earrings, bracelets Collecting acorns underneath one of Fauquier’s many stately and rings. They are fascinated. They oak trees is a pleasant pasttime for the writer and two of her are also very accepting of your not so grandchildren, Maria, 4 and Piers, 2 1/2. firm abdomen and if you can’t keep up when they go skipping.

Apparently, for some, being a grandmother is synonymous with old age. To counter that, many take on nicknames for their grandchildren to call them. I toyed with that briefly but find that “grandma” suits me just fine.

I will say that it is often emotionally challenging to see my babies now with babies of their own. Another generation of children is now before me, and I can hug, hold and spoil with abandon.

The official flower for National Grandparent’s Day is the “forgetme-not” – how appropriate. I hope they grow up with memories of me, and that I give them the joy they give to me each time I see them.

My children, their parents, have the hard task of raising them and doing it with heart. Having been down that road, one that I’m still traveling with adult children, I don’t envy them. Selfishly, I am very grateful for the gift of these children and for my new journey in life as grandma.

Anita Sherman is the community editor for the Fauquier Times.

See the beauty The Last of nature through Word a child’s eyes National Grandparents Day has been celebrated in the U.S. for more than 40 years in the month of September. We have President Jimmy Carter to thank for signing the day into law in 1978.

While there were others, Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade is generally considered the main driver behind a day to honor grandparents.

A West Virginia housewife, she lobbied tirelessly to educate people on the important contributions made by senior citizens. She recommended adopting a grandparent for a lifetime of experience.

While not a public holiday, observing National Grandparent’s Day has been designated for the first Sunday after Labor Day. It is estimated that some 4 million greeting cards are sent every year.

Quite frankly, before I researched the origins of this day, I figured it was a

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Are You Ready?

Highland School Graduates are Ready Recent Highland graduates have gone on to attend the most selective colleges and universities in the United States:

Harvard • Yale • Princeton • Stanford • Dartmouth • Cornell • Brown

Columbia • Duke • Georgetown • University of Virginia • Swarthmore

William & Mary • Middlebury • Davidson • Carnegie-Mellon • Wake Forest Washington & Lee • Colgate • Bowdoin • University of North Carolina

James Madison University • University of Richmond • and many others!

Schedule a tour today at www.highlandschool.org/ready or call Donna Tomlinson at 540-878-2740

FALL 2019

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