Saving Land Newsletter - Fall 2018

Saving Land FALL 2018 | Vol. 22 Issue 2

Helping Kids Grow:

One man’s mission to change children’s futures

“The Prettiest Farm I’ve Ever Seen”:

Alleghany farmer conserves Hot Springs home

Polishing the Gem:

Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club keeps footpath sparkling

Can you identify this tree?

See page 2 for answer

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Blue Ridge Land Conservancy

FROM THE DIRECTOR

Promoting the conservation of western Virginia’s natural resources- farms, forests, waterways, and rural landscapes

The old saying goes, “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

William M. Hackworth, President Diana K. Christopulos, PhD, President-Elect Ruth T. Dickerson, Treasurer M. Rupert Cutler, PhD, Secretary A. Sidney Barritt III, MD Dominic M. Basile Maureen McNamara Best Thomas M. Dunkenberger, Jr. Broaddus C. Fitzpatrick Joshua C. Gibson Renee D. Godard, PhD William Hunley Lowell F. Inhorn, MD George A. Kegley Betty H. Lesko Stuart R. Lynde Timothy J. Rowe, Sr. Isabel R. Thornton Fiona M. Tower Ann Bondurant Trinkle Jill Woltz

ADVISORY COUNCIL Lucy R. Ellett Liza T. Field Talfourd H. Kemper Robert B. Lambeth, Jr. Janet Scheid

STAFF David C. Perry, Executive Director Meagan R. Cupka, Assistant Director Tina L. Badger, Office Manager Brooke Haas, Outdoor Educator Kate K. Glass, Stewardship Assistant 722 First Street SW, Suite L Roanoke, VA 24016 540-985-0000 blueridgelandconservancy.org

So I won’t tell you about all the wonderful conservation projects we have in the works. There will be time to count those chicks once they’re out of the egg.

But things are historically busy, new opportunities are being seized, and great things are in the works.

Stay tuned.

Dave Perry

I will tell you about how excited we are to honor Peter Lewis with this year’s Vic Thomas Award. Peter, as many of you know, built an institution up on the mountain in Floyd County known as Apple Ridge Farm. Recently retired after years of service and having handed the reins over to his very capable son John, we’re very happy to honor this icon whose visionary work has not only introduced countless young people to the outdoors, but changed lives forever.

On July 4, I ran to McAfee’s Knob with a group of guys to watch the sun rise. It was a very good reminder of the remarkable work the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club does to maintain well over 100 miles of this internationally significant trail that runs right in our backyards here in southwest Virginia. And so we’re also pleased to honor the RATC with this year’s Landsaver Award.

Of course, both awards will be presented at our annual Conservation Celebration & Auction on September 9 at Sundara in Franklin County. If you’re reading this, an invitation has already arrived in your mailbox. I hope you’ll join us and over 200 of your closest friends for food, drink, music and a live and silent auction as we celebrate conservation successes and honor those groups and individuals who are getting it done for the planet here at home.

We also have some happy personnel news. Grace Boardwine Harwin has found full-time employment with Clean Valley Council in Roanoke and has left us, but we’re happy to see Grace’s career take off. And she left us with a capable replacement—Brooke Haas, who will take over Grace’s duties as outdoor educator. And Kate Glass is settling in nicely as our new stewardship assistant, monitoring our conserved lands, running up miles on our company Prius and writing reports.

I suppose it’s safe to report that one egg has already hatched—our 60th conservation agreement with a local landowner, this one protecting 200-plus acres of rolling Pittsylvania County farmland and long stretches of two creeks. The agreement, signed in late June, is the 14th conservation agreement we’ve entered into in the last 24 months, which means that almost 25 percent of the agreements we have with local landowners have come in the last two years of our 22 years of saving land.

There’s more I want to tell you, but as they say in this era of binge-watching and move plot leaks, SPOILERS. It’ll keep.

On behalf of these mountains we call home,

Dave

ABOUT THE COVER This river birch tree (Betula nigra), photographed this past spring by BRLC Assistant Director Meagan Cupka, is located on the latest property to be conserved by the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy, a 200-plus acre farm of rolling hills and pastures and two streams in Pittsylvania County protected in June. The property was protected with the 60th conservation agreement signed by the land conservancy in its 22-year history, and was the 14th in the last 24 months!

Some interesting facts about river birches from the Arbor Day Foundation and the USDA: The river birch produces brown and green catkins (flowers) each spring that are a favorite of pine siskins, a member of the finch family of birds. Deer eat the leaves and many songbirds eat the seeds. Historically, the leaves were chewed to help treat dysentery, while the bark helped cure stomach problems.

BRLC Welcomes New Board Members

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n June, the board of the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy approved officers for the 2018-19 year and added five fresh new faces to the board. We were sad to say goodbye to longtime board member Anne Jennings of Roanoke, who promises she’ll still be around, and we plan to hold her to it.

All of our officers return for another year, with Bill Hackworth of Roanoke assuming the presidency for one more year, Dr. Diana Christopulos of Salem staying in the president-elect’s chair, Ruth Dickerson of Roanoke watching the books again as treasurer, and Dr. Rupert Cutler of Roanoke continuing as secretary.

Dr. Sid Barritt

Maureen McNamara Best

New members include Dr. Sid Barritt of Roanoke, a retired internist and gastroenterologist; Maureen McNamara Best of Roanoke, executive director of Local Environmental Agriculture Project (LEAP); Dr. Renee Godard of Eagle Rock, biology and environmental studies professor and head of the environmental studies program at Hollins University; Ann Bondurant Trinkle of Roanoke, local artist and owner of the Forks restaurants; and Jill Woltz of Copper Hill, community volunteer and conservation easement donor.

Dr. Renee Godard

Ann Bondurant Trinkle

Jill Woltz

TAB LE OF CON T E N T S • FA LL 2 0 18

“The Prettiest Farm You’ve Ever Seen”........4 Join us for the Conservation Celebration & Auction!....................................6 Vic Thomas Awardee: Peter Lewis Helps Kids Grow..........................8 Landsaver Awardees: Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club..................10

Photo by Dave Perry

“The

Alleghany

S

ituated between the Jackson and Cowpasture rivers, Hot Springs Valley spreads out close to the Virginia and West Virginia border. Rolling fields, herds of cattle, green forests, and rugged rocks cover the land. Dabney L. Pasco has lived and farmed there for the past forty-five years, and he loves the valley. Pasco, who has been farming all his life, describes the Hot Springs area as “a beautiful mountainous community.” At the end of 2017, Pasco and his wife Laura Dasher forever protected their 800-plus acre Apple Horse Farm in the Hot Springs Valley with the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy.

Horses graze on Pasco’s green land.

Pasco grew up near Richmond, Virginia and spent his summers in Clifton Forge helping his grandfather raise cows, calves, and horses. After he graduated from high school, he moved to San Francisco and then South Carolina. Eventually, he settled in Hot Springs in 1973 to practice law. Reflecting on his career, Pasco said “I practiced law to finance my farming addiction.” His law career certainly helped him expand his farm. Pasco started out with twenty-five acres of land in 1973. After several years and sixteen purchases, his farm now covers almost nine hundred acres.

After thirty-three years of practicing law, Pasco retired. These days he spends his time farming and has hired one man to help him. Despite his love of agriculture, the business still has its challenges. Pasco had to invest in large equipment to maintain his farm, and he had to deal with other challenges, like cases of pink eye among his herd of twoSinkholes dot the hundred and fifty cattle.

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landscape at the conserved Apple Horse Farm.

Prettiest Farm You’ve Ever Seen”

County couple saves Hot Springs Valley gem However, he enjoys being a farmer more than being a lawyer. In his own words, “[Farming] is good for the soul.”

A love of farming runs in his family. He and his wife raised their five children on their farm, and they have always owned many animals.

At one time, they kept thirty-five to seventy horses, and everyone in the family enjoyed working with the livestock. Pasco’s youngest son, who just graduated from West Virginia University, liked it so much that he plans to come back home to run the farm.

Pasco wishes to preserve his land so it will be protected from development. Even though most of the people around him are farmers, he knows there are more houses nearby than there were a few years ago. From his home on the ridgeline, he notices more lights at night than in the past. “Forty years ago,” he said, “you would see one or two lights…You might see a dozen or so now.”

Pasco said, “I wanted to conserve the nature and topography of this valley that I’ve lived in for forty-five years.” The environment on the land is perfect for raising cattle because there is plenty of shade, water, and grass. It also has a unique topography. Sinkholes dot his property, thanks to the washing away of limestone in the bedrock. There is even a cave in the mountains on his land, which Virginia Tech and James Madison University faculty and students have explored. Pasco knows that the area surrounding him is full of caves. Along with the unique geological formations on the land, Pasco values the privacy and seclusion found there. He and his family do not have to deal with some of the problems that come with life in more developed communities, such as noise from traffic, pollution, and less space to live on.

With the land protected, Pasco can do all the farming he wants to, and that is exactly what he envisioned when he first established his livestock cooperation in the seventies and eighties. Pasco said of the farm, “Both myself, my wife, and my children and grandchildren all love it. We didn’t want to see it developed. We wanted to preserve the…nature of this valley, which is an open rural farming community… I would roll in my grave if there were trailers and houses all over this valley.”

by: Christina Shaw

On a recent phone call with Pasco, he said “It’s the prettiest farm you’ve ever seen. You ask (BRLC Executive Director) Dave Perry if it’s not the prettiest farm he’s ever seen.”

Perry agrees, “The view from atop the property is something out of the Sound of Music. Wesley Woods (Lynchburg real estate appraiser) told me it’s the prettiest farm he’s ever seen too, and I can’t argue with him or Dabney Pasco either one.”

Luckily, Dabney and Laura won’t have to worry about too many lights, trailers, and houses appearing on their property because it is protected forever through a conservation agreement with the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy. Simply saving the land is more than enough for Dabney Pasco, who describes it as “one of the most picturesque pieces of land in Virginia.” Now, he can continue to farm it while being sure that the love of this farm will be passed down to future generations.

BRLC staff and board visit Apple Horse Farm in 2017. (L-R) Assistant Director Meagan Cupka, Stewardship Committee Chair Broaddus Fitzpatrick, President Bill Hackworth, President-elect Diana Christopulos, and landowner Dabney Pasco.

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2018

2017 CONSERVATION CELEBRATION& AUCTION

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n Sunday, Sept. 9, the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy will host its annual Conservation Celebration & Auction at Sundara in Franklin County.

Join us that evening from 4:00 to 7:30 as we celebrate the people who have dedicated their lives to making sure children can appreciate the outdoors and helping the rest of us have ways to enjoy this beautiful place we call home. Help us also celebrate the conservation successes we have achieved over the past year!

Appalachian Trail Club volunteers, hikers continue to enjoy it to this day. To learn more about the work of the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club and Mr. Peter Lewis, check out their stories in this issue of Saving Land.

Blue Ridge Catering with Mark Baldwin will be back this year with a delicious meal picked out for us.

We’ll welcome the band, Blue Mule, for our entertainment this year. An eclectic bluegrass band, they have recently performed at Floyd TH Fest and Parkway Brewing Company. We will also have beer from Deschutes, wines from various Virginia wineries, and an exciting live and silent auction to benefit the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

We will be recognizing the important work of Mr. Peter Lewis, who is the recipient of this year’s A. Victor Thomas Environmental Stewardship Award. Lewis has a passion for education. He is the founder of Apple Ridge Farm, an organization that teaches life skills to underprivileged children. With its beautiful scenery, Apple Ridge Farms provides a great setting for children to connect to nature. The Blue Ridge Land Conservancy is happy to present its Landsaver Award to the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club for its work to encourage and enable outdoor recreation and for its love for the mountains we all call home. The Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club is responsible for maintaining 120 miles of the Appalachian Trail and taking care of sixteen shelters between Bland, VA and Black Horse Gap near Buchanan. The Appalachian Trail is an important national scenic trail completed in 1937, and thanks to the help of Roanoke

4:00-7:30 PM at SUNDARA

All Friends of the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy received save-the-date postcards earlier this year as well as personal invitations. Tickets are $95 per person and can be purchased over the phone, by mail, or online until August 31st. Tickets can be purchased for $110 at the door. All food and beverages are included in the price, and children ages 12 and under attend for free.

Franklin County, VA

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For more information and to make your payment online, please visit brlcva.org/celebration. We look forward to spending an amazing evening with you, filled with delicious food, good music, and great people!

Celebrate conservation!

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One night stay for two with golf

Delicious meal for eight graciously prepared by Anne Jennings at her home. New England clams and more!

Always trying to push the musical envelope a little bit further, Blue Mule is a band like no other. They have worked hard to absorb the lessons of their musical heroes and role models-legends of the contemporary acoustic music scene such as Sam Bush, David Grisman, Tony Rice and Bela Fleck, to name just a few. In a typical performance, they’re likely to follow a Bill Monroe song with one by the Grateful Dead, or a Steel Driver’s tune into a Count Basie classic. Don’t miss this fun performance!

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Helping Kids Grow Honoring the Peter Lewis’s work acquainting youth

Mr. Peter Lewis with wife, Carla, founded Apple Ridge Farm and has positively impacted the lives of many.

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n 1963 two men contacted Mr. Peter Lewis and asked if he would take their two teenage brothers for an experience different to what they’d grown up with in the city. He then brought the two younger brothers to his aunt and uncle’s dairy farm, where they were amazed at the expanse of open land.

Lewis grew up in the Washington D.C. area but spent summers on his aunt and uncle’s dairy farm in Fauquier County.

It was at this outing that Lewis had what he calls his moment of clarity. “I realized that those two boys never knew what I grew up with”, he said, and credited this for his dream to create a place where city kids could “get away and experience something new.”

That dream became Apple Ridge Farm.

On September 9, the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy will present Mr. Peter Lewis with its highest award, the A. Victor Thomas Environmental Stewardship Award. Given annually by the land

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conservancy, this award recognizes those who have made significant contributions to the preservation of the natural heritage of western Virginia. Through his founding and leadership of Apple Ridge Farm, Lewis has impacted what is just as important as the rolling hills and forests: children who value the outdoors.

Mr. Peter Lewis handed the reins of Apple Ridge Farm to his son, Mr. John Lewis.

The son of an attorney and an elementary school educator, Lewis’ love for education came naturally. In 1975, he bought land in Copper Hill in Floyd County and began his career with Roanoke City Schools. Three years later, the non-profit Apple Ridge Farm camp was founded. The camp aimed to provide an environmental education and outdoor experience for youth, many from Roanoke’s inner-city neighborhoods.

Set atop rolling farm and woods in Copper Hill with beautiful views of the mountains beyond, it was the perfect fit. The camp also focused on personal development for the students. “We wanted to give these children a nurturing, loving, safe, and encouraging space where they had the opportunity and the challenge of realizing their potential,” Lewis said.

Starting an educational camp for children in rural Floyd County was not without its challenges, especially financial ones.

Lewis credited Roanoke locals for providing Apple Ridge Farm the majority of its monetary support. “They saw what

with the outdoors and positive futures

By: Meagan Cupka Students take part in organic gardening as part of Apple Ridge Farm’s summer camp.

we were doing and decided to take a chance,” he said of the individuals who made the camp a possibility. “We do have some grants and business support, but it is mostly the community. I am honored by the community’s support for this project” Lewis remarked.

Unique to Apple Ridge Farm is its “EBase”, short for Eco-Base. EBase USA - Blue Ridge was the inspiration of James Bray and polar explorer Sir Robert Swan. After 2,000 AkzoNobel employee volunteer hours and four years, a 99-year-old boxcar donated by the Roanoke Chapter National Railway Historical Society was transformed into the first EBase in the western hemisphere. This stand-alone classroom is run entirely on wind and solar power, and serves as a laboratory to educate students of all ages about sustainability and renewable energy.

All of the work at Apple Ridge Farm can be distilled into a three-word phrase, coined by former Apple Ridge Farm board member Purnell Eggleston: “Helping Kids Grow”.

To Lewis, Apple Ridge Farm is more than a destination. He likens it to Aladdin’s magical carpet in the way that is a place for kids to set sights on new horizons and experience possibilities that they may not have known at home. One instance in particular stuck in his mind. At one camp session, students were brought out to a wooded area and participated in an activity called “Time Out” where they would stand in a circle and for a full five minutes would not speak or make noise. They then took turns telling the group what they did hear. Lewis recalls one young participant in particular, “One student would say they heard birds, another would say they heard the

breeze in the trees. One young lady who was normally quite talkative didn’t say anything.

I thought maybe she didn’t like the activity.

So I asked her what she had heard and she replied, ‘Nothing. And I liked it.’ For a thirteen year-old-girl who is more comfortable walking around the mall than out in the woods, that’s something.”

It seems that helping others is a trait that runs in the family. Lewis’s wife, Carla managed the historic Gainsboro Library for 32 ½ years before retiring, and is beloved by countless children and families in the area. His son, John has taken over the role of executive director at Apple Ridge Farms, but Peter can be found at the camp helping where needed. As of 2018, Apple Ridge Farms has made an impact on the lives of almost 90,000 children in the Roanoke Valley.

Fall 2018 | 9

POLISHINGthe GEM

Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club keeps footpath sparkling

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n the backyard of the Blue Ridge runs the nation’s premier, continuous, longdistance footpath: the Appalachian Trail, commonly referred to as the “AT”.

With a length of 2,190 miles from Georgia to Maine that takes hikers five to seven months to complete, who takes care of this mammoth recreational gem?

That’s where groups like the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club step in. The recipient of this year’s Landsaver Award from the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy, the club was founded in 1932. It’s one of 31 similar clubs along the length of the AT, the purpose of which is to advocate for, A hiker passes through the Daleville section of the Appalachian Trail, which Therese and Homer Witcher maintain.

maintain, and address threats to the trail.

This hard-working club oversees a 120mile portion of the trail from Bland, VA to Black Horse Gap in Buchanan. Their core group of volunteers takes separate sections of RATC’s region to monitor and maintain.

Those volunteers walk the section assigned to them four times a year to monitor vegetation and paint the iconic white blazes. They do a great job, according to many thru-hikers. Jim Beeson, the current president of the club, completed the Appalachian Trail in 2016. For him, this area had some of the best parts of the trail in terms of maintenance and views. In fact, it encouraged him to join the club.

Those views and quality hikes are certainly speaking for themselves. In 2017, over 80,000 people hiked from Route 311 in Roanoke County to McAfee’s Knob. That rocky summit is the most photographed spot on the entire Appalachian Trail. Several years ago, the name “Virginia’s Triple Crown” was coined for the three best hikes along the AT in Virginia. It includes McAfee’s Knob, Dragon’s Tooth, and Tinker Cliffs. Being so close to Roanoke’s population center makes all three top choices for day hikes during the weekend, but it also presents a challenge for keeping the dirt footpath in good condition.

Due to the heavy use of the Triple Crown portion of the trail, the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club created a special volunteer group called the McAfee’s Knob Taskforce. Those and other volunteers, called Ridgerunners, answer questions, guide hikers, and educate the public on Leave No Trace principles.

Trail maintenance volunteers take steps to prevent erosion caused by the high amount of foot traffic. One way of doing that is by making trails with zig-zagging turns, known as switchbacks, which lessen erosion by preventing rain water from eroding the path. The RATC encourages hikers to follow the switchbacks instead of finding shortcuts

by: Christina Shaw

through brush, which damages vegetation and results in run-off.

Two dedicated volunteers are Homer and Therese Witcher. Their love of this trail started over thirty years ago when they went for a hike. They saw a white blaze trail marker but didn’t know what it meant. After following it to a sign telling them about the Appalachian Trail, in their words, “We were hooked.” Since then they’ve spent countless hours enjoying and maintaining the AT. They even got married at the top of McAfee’s Knob and spent their honeymoon at Tinker Cliffs. A painting of Therese in her wedding dress at the overlook hangs in their home.

In Therese’s and Homer’s role as volunteer

Homer and Therese Witcher, Shelter Supervisors and trail maintenance volunteers with the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club’

Members of the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club at their completed footbridge in Craig Creek Valley

shelter supervisors, they are responsible for organizing repairs and improvements to the camping shelters in RATC’s region. Recently they have organized the replacement of two roofs on the shelters, and are in the process of replacing fire rings at the sites. With no motorized vehicles allowed on the trail, that means carrying in the 80-pound fire rings to each location.

The couple also maintains stretches of the AT at Daleville and Tinker Cliffs. For years, they have been planting trees, clearing invasive species, vines, brush and keeping the grass cut. “It takes us about 20 hours to mow everything with push-mowers,” Therese said. The two, now both retired, volunteer almost daily, logging almost 300 hours so far in 2018.

Because of the volunteer work of people

like Jim Beeson, the Witchers, and many others, the Appalachian Trail will remain a viable recreational outlet for decades to come. Because of this, the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy is happy to present its Landsaver Award to the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club for its work in encouraging and enabling outdoor recreation and love for the mountains we all call home.

Find ways to volunteer with the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club at www.RATC.org Like them on or find them on

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Blue Ridge Land Conservancy does to promote the conservation of western Virginia’s natural resources, farms, forests, waterways, and rural landscapes.

From hands-on education events, to guided hikes and more, thank you for making outstanding contributions to our community.

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Keep up the good work!

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Additional Offices: Charlottesville | Lynchburg | Richmond

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54 Years & Still Growing For over 5 decades we have designed and manufactured Boxes, POP Displays & Packaging from renewable, recyclable corrugated board that meets today’s needs without sacrificing tomorrow.

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Woods Rogers PLC recognizes the significant work

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Thank You, Interns!

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BRLC summer interns, Dan and Christina, look back at their work over the summer

Dan Friedberg and Christina Shaw on a field outing during their internships

DAN FRIEDBERG, Summer Intern, University of Lynchburg I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy during the summer of 2018. As an intern at BRLC, I was able to take-on projects that drew from skills acquired from my studies at Lynchburg but also pushed me out of my comfort zone, pressing me to learn. From press releases to website editing my duties at BRLC were interesting and challenging. My favorite part of my experience at BRLC was our endeavors in the field that allowed me to see the land that the organization aims to conserve and meet landowners interested in conservation. I am grateful for my time spent at BRLC and will look back on my experiences fondly!

CHRISTINA SHAW, James Madison University Graduate Working with the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy has been a great opportunity for me to get to know a new part of Virginia. I grew up closer to northern portion of Virginia in Culpeper, where the land is flatter and there is a lot of development due to people commuting to and from D.C. I am glad to say, though, that this internship has given me the chance to explore the rural farmlands of southwestern Virginia. For example, I have had the chance to travel with Blue Ridge Land Conservancy staff to visit sites where landowners were interested in preserving their land. We have visited hilly land in Pulaski County, a forested site on Peter’s Mountain, and a farm that bordered the Appalachian Trail.

While traveling in the car to and from the sites, I was happy to see the greenery and open beauty of the land. I have also had the chance to interview landowners who did easements with Blue Ridge Land Conservancy to learn more about why they chose to conserve their land and write articles about them for the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy newsletter.

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The Blue Ridge Land Conservancy is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, a mark of distinction in land conservation. BRLC is also a proud member of the Land Trust Alliance and the Virginia Conservation Network.

722 First Street, SW, Suite L Roanoke, Virginia 24016-4120 Phone 540-985-0000 www.blueridgeconservancy.org Member of:

TRAVEL SAFELY THIS FALL

Donate your Old Car! If your autumn adventure is calling, but your ride is keeping you from answering—donate it to the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy through the CARS program! You’ll soon be on your way instead of stuck with repairs, and we’ll turn your old car into more saved land and educated children. Feel good today about saving land while also getting rid of a financial burden. The tow is free! Contact us at: (540) 985-0000 or dperry@brlcva.org.