The Piedmont View A MEMBERSHIP NEWSLETTER OF THE PIEDMONT ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL SUMMER 2021 Story Map Brings History to Light By Cindy Sabato A Community PAGE 2 Forest Grows n 1860, free and enslaved African Americans made up half of Fauquier County’s entire population. Black communities Ilike Morgantown, two miles south of Marshall and where Afro- American Historical Association of Fauquier County President Karen Hughes White and Board Member Angela Davidson were raised, grew out of emancipation. They held powerful meaning as community centers where New Guides PAGE 3 Released & PAGE 6 7 Signs of a Scenic River n western Albemarle County, the cold, intensive, two-year, grassroots pristine waters of the Moormans River effort that culminated in 1988 spill over a towering Sugar Hollow with Virginia Scenic River designa- I Dam and wind eastward for 14.3 miles. tion for the Moormans, a nod to Flowing gently at first through historic its superior natural and scenic Sugar Hollow and White Hall, it gathers beauty, fish and wildlife—includ- strength and speed from Doyles River, Wards ing the endangered James Creek, and other streams before joining the spinymussel—and historic, rec- Mechum River at Brinnington to form the reational, geologic, and cultural Rivanna River. Eventually, the Moormans’ features. A ceremonial ribbon waters reach the James River and the Chesa- cutting by then-supervisor Char- peake Bay. lotte Humphris and a parade Albemarle Supervisor Ann Mallek pulls the cover off “The Moormans has always been a very that included horses, dogs and a the new Moormans Scenic River sign at the Millington special river. It has a rocky bottom, so it runs child on her tricycle marked the Bridge, as PEC Senior Conservation Fellow Kat Imhoff clear and hosts brook trout upstream. There occasion. steadies the ladder and Supervisor Liz Palmer looks on. are game corridors along the river. It has a lot Photo by Hugh Kenny of scenic value and is a unifying focus for the Honoring the Moormans community. People love to fish, enjoy sitting Fast forward a little more nature. Donna Bennet, a local resident and on the rocks, and like to canoe it when the than three decades to 2020—the 50th member of the informal advocacy group, water is up,” said Sherry Buttrick, who for anniversary of Virginia’s Scenic Rivers Friends of the Moormans, said the added some 30 years owned property overlooking Program. It was a year of pandemic, when crowds took a big toll on the Moormans’ the Moormans at the Millington Bridge. more people than ever before sought out trails, riparian vegetation, and the river itself, Back in the late 1980s, Buttrick and beautiful outdoor places like the Moormans sounding an alarm about the continuing 27-year-old PEC staffer Kat Imhoff led an for the healing and restorative powers of need for strong stewardship. Discussing the Continued on page 5 The Piedmont View A Community Forest Grows on the Edge of Charlottesville By Peter Krebs ince the beginning of the pandemic, now, when he was long gone, people people have gravitated like never would still enjoy them. There’s a lot of Sbefore to the outdoors, in search of love in that land and it’s wonderful [that] the physical and emotional benefits of it is now saved.” nature and fresh air. Charlottesville-area These forward-looking, early land greenways and open spaces have seen stewards’ vision has come to pass in the unprecedented visitorship. That’s why the form of a fabulous community forest for creation of the new Heyward Community the public to enjoy. Forest is so timely and so important. Part of a Larger Whole Two Years, Two Acquisitions and a Nearly 150 acres of new park land Multigenerational Legacy is always something to celebrate, but In 2019, the Piedmont Environmental the Heyward Community Forest is the Council and the Virginia Department of keystone of something even bigger— Forestry helped the City of Charlottesville much bigger. It sits in the center of a large conglomeration of publicly accessible acquire 142 acres next to the Ragged Charlottesville Parks and Recreation is working with community groups to build lands, including the existing Ragged Mountain Natural Area. The city a system of trails connecting the Heyward Community Forest to surrounding contributed $37,500, and PEC secured Mountain Natural Area, Camp Holiday neighborhoods and natural areas. Photo by Peter Krebs, PEC a U.S. Department of Agriculture Trails, Birdwood Golf Course, Boar’s Head Community Forest Program grant of Inn, and two other previous donations $562,500 to buy the land from owner from the Heyward family—UVA’s Louisa Heyward. The land was worth a lot Foxhaven Farm and Albemarle’s future more than that, and Louisa generously Hedgerow Park. Together, these all add agreed to donate the remaining value. up to more than 2,200 acres of various Later that year, PEC began working forms and degrees of recreational use. That’s almost three times larger than with the Rivanna Trails Foundation and Central Park! the City of Charlottesville to purchase Characterized by diverse, often another piece of land that adjoins the unusual ecosystems, these areas are—or community forest. Owned by Stan soon will be—connected by a network Makielski, these additional five acres of trails with designated sections that would fill a public access gap by adding will be protected from human intrusion. trails, connecting areas, and increasing The Heyward Community Forest, right on parking options, while keeping private the edge of Charlottesville and near (or development out of the natural area. even connected to) multiple Albemarle Aerial photo of the area around Ragged Mountain Reservoir. Photo by Hugh Kenny, PEC PEC coordinated the project and helped neighborhoods, will improve public raise funds once again through USDA’s access to these 2,200+ acres of ecological, Community Forest Program, as well as the recreational, and educational resources. Bama Works Fund, the Virginia Outdoors including Charlottesville Area Mountain coming together because it includes Foundation (VOF) Preservation Trust Inspiring Collaboration Bike Club, Charlottesville Area Trail all the ingredients we know lead to Fund, and a private donor. This purchase Just as the Heyward and Makielski Runners, Rivanna Trails Foundation, success: engaged and organized citizens closed on March 12, 2021 and is now part acquisitions contribute to a broader and UVA, to raise money and supply and groups, conservation-minded of the larger community forest. landscape of public access and habitat volunteers to build and maintain landowners, a local government Both of these properties that now preservation, they also have inspired trails within the Heyward Community committed to parks and open spaces, make up the Heyward Community broader collaboration for the greater Forest. Similarly, habitat restoration and and an organization that can act as an Forest were once owned by Stan’s father, good. protection efforts are underway with intermediary, offer technical expertise Stanislaw Makielski, Sr., a founding Soon after the Heyward property assistance from the Charlottesville Area and maintain a multi-year focus. It will be instructor at the University of Virginia acquisition was finalized, Charlottesville Tree Stewards, the Center for Urban exciting to watch the project grow and School of Architecture. Stan Jr. said his led a community forestry program that Habitats and many others. become an ever-more valuable resource father planted trees so that, “years from galvanized a number of organizations, This work and collaboration is for the community. 29 IvHy eyward and Makielski 250 t 29 e Acquisitions e r t S I v y t C r e e e 250 m k m E Heyward Community Forest Iv Boars Head y R UVA Makielski Acquisition (Charlottesville) oad Public Access Land 0 0.5 1 G Miles d ra R d y A y ve b 29 g u Birdwood R U n Ragged i ve r si Mountain ty A Natural Area UVA ve Foxhaven Farm Fo ntaine Ave 64 Camp Holiday Heyward Acquisition Charlottesville Ragged Mountain Makielski Tract Natural Area Hedgerow Park 29 s C r e e k M o o r e 64 e e k C r e s o o r n M u R t i u c s i B Biscuit Run State Park Map showing the location of the Heyward and Makielski acquisitions. Map showing the connected suite of public or semi-public lands. Watsun Randolph, PEC Watsun Randolph, PEC 2 www.pecva.org Summer 2021 Helping people find local food with new Buy Fresh Buy Local guides By Cindy Sabato ith the spring growing season caterers, and 10 retailers. The Charlottesville well underway, PEC is very Area guide lists more than 220 food resources excited about the release of in Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and W our 2021-22 Buy Fresh Buy Local Nelson counties. They include 220 local farms guides for each of PEC’s three Buy Fresh Buy Local and orchards, 13 farmers markets, 25 wineries chapters—Loudoun County, Northern Pied- and breweries, 20 restaurants and caterers, and mont, and Charlottesville area. Mailed in May 12 retailers. Each guide also highlights two local to more than 300,000 homes and businesses, businesses and includes a fruit and vegetable each guide offers a convenient, one-stop source availability calendar, fact sheet explaining for local farms, farmers markets, CSAs, wineries, various common food labels, and a travel map breweries, and other local food producers. showing locations of many listings in the area. “On the heels of a year that has amplified Clarke County food producers are represented the value of local food systems, these guides by the Shenandoah Valley Buy Fresh Buy Local make it so easy for people to find locally grown Matt Coyle’s daughter Rowan gives Buy Fresh Buy Local her nod of chapter.