Ways to Protect Our Watershed

Sustainable Forestry:
Our Forest Treasures of Rappahannock County Protect Our Watershed: How We Sustain, Enjoy, and Benefit
A Workshop Held April 24, 2004, at Mt. Vernon Farm

We hope you will refer to this list of event exhibotors for all your forest and water-related questions in the future.

Blue Ridge Foothills Conservancy
Scenic Virginia Byway 231, Route HC6 Box 215, Madison, Virginia 22727
E-mail: blueridgeconserve@nexet.net
Exhibitor: Carl Schmitt, President, 434-985-9815 (Greene) Susan Cable, Vice President 540-923-9980 (Madison)
The Blue Ridge Foothills Conservancy is a private, non-profit land trust working primarily in Madison and Greene counties in central Virginia. Our mission is to conserve, through voluntary land protection, the agricultural, scenic, natural, historic and recreational resources that define the rural character of our communities.

Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District
351 Lakeside Drive, Culpeper, VA 22701 540.825.8591
Exhibitor: Martin Johnson, Information/Education Coordinator
E-mail: martin-johnson@va.nacdnet.org
Main Contact: Greg Wichelns, District Manager
The CSWCD, a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia, promotes the stewardship of soil and water and the conservation of our natural resources by educating and providing technical assistance to manage, protect, and enhance the land and water for the benefit and enjoyment of the citizens of Culpeper, Greene, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock Counties.

Piedmont Environmental Council
45 Horner Street, P.O. Box 460 Warrenton, VA 20188 540.347.2334
Exhibitors: Sarah Gannon, Rappahannock County Conservation Officer
E-mail: sgannon@pecva.org
Sarah Gannon works one-on-one with landowners and others to promote conservation options, including conservation easements. The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) was established in 1972 to promote and protect the Virginia Piedmont’s rural economy, natural resources, history and beauty. PEC provides technical and legal expertise to citizens, local governments, and grassroots groups in a nine-county region of the Virginia Piedmont.

Rappahannock County Conservation Alliance
P.O. Box 228 Washington, VA 22747 (Attn. Lorinda Bosch)
Exhibitor: Hal Hunter
E-mail: hal@targetlearn.com
Other Contact: Sharon Pierce (President), 540.987.8397, pierce_sc@hotmail.com
RCCA promotes the preservation of open space and natural resources in Rappahannock County. RCCA also provides citizens with information and materials on the use of easements as a conservation tool. Most recently, the Conservation Alliance has been working closely with the county to develop a purchase of development rights program, called the Farmland Protection Ordinance. The ordinance would assist local farmers to keep their land in agriculture and forestry by providing a cash payment for development rights.

Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection
P.O. Box 94 Washington, VA 22747 540.987.8504
Exhibitor: Alice Biby
Email: RLEP@direcway.com
RLEP is a citizen’s organization dedicated to preserving the natural resources and rural and historic character of Rappahannock County, VA. RLEP promotes its purpose in the community through public education, coalition building with like-minded organizations, consulting with business interests and county officials on public policy, and advocacy for sound community planning.

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service
Culpeper Office 540.825.4200
Exhibitor: Joe Thompson, District Conservationist for Rappahannock & Culpeper Counties
E-mail: Joe.Thompson@va.usda.gov
USDA-NRCS provides technical and financial support to landowners for the management of agricultural lands and wildlife habitat. Emphasis is on techniques that protect soil and water resources.

Virginia Cooperative Extension
Rappahannock Unit 311-G Gay Street, Little Washington, VA 540.675.3619
Exhibitor: Kenner Love, Agricultural and Natural Resources Extension Agent
E-mail: klove@vt.edu
Provides research-based technical assistance on plant and animal agriculture to landowners. The extension service also provides family and community services, 4-H programs for youth, and soil sciences information.

VA Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Soil and Water Conservation
Tappahannock Regional Office 804.443.8219
Exhibitor: Julie May, Rappahannock Watershed Field Coordinator
E-mail: jmay@dcr.state.va.us
DCR provides many programs to reduce non-point source runoff to restore the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay. Julie serves as a point of contact for community groups and stakeholders for grant opportunities and other watershed activities.

Virginia Department of Forestry, Madison Office
308 Thrift Road, P. O. Box 148, Madison, VA 22727-0148 540.948.5341
Exhibitor: Martin Agee, Forester for Madison, Rappahannock and Greene Counties
E-mail: ageem@dof.state.va.us
Foresters like Mr. Agee provide forestry management and planning assistance to private landowners. The Department of Forestry is also responsible for the protection of 15.8 million acres of forest land from fire, insects and disease; as well as the management of 16 State Forests and other state lands totaling approximately 50,000 acres for timber, recreation, water, research, wildlife and biodiversity.

Virginia Forest Watch
609 E. Market St. Rm 106, Charlottesville, VA 22902 434.971.7678
Exhibitors: Christina Wulf and Danny Dolinger
E-mail: vafw@nexet.net
Virginia Forest Watch provides citizens with educational presentations &
general information on sustainable forestry & conservation options for private landowners. VFW also advocates for protection of Virginia's George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.

Each of the following local woodworkers will be available to answer questions about how they use wood.

Chris Bird 540.675.3409
Displays sawmills outside the barns. Chris is a master at cutting, milling, and building with our local hardwoods. He has repaired several old barns at Mt. Vernon and built his own timberframe home using wood milled from his own forest land.

Peter Kramer 540.675.3625
Creates handsome, solid, hand-crafted furniture at his workshop in Washington, Virginia. His website is www.peterkramer.com, and his email is pkramer@shentel.net.

Steve Marquisee 540.987.9381
“My love of the outdoors has inspired me to craft landing nets and flytying benches. My interest in music has brought me into the realm of lutherie where handcarving mandolins from native hardwoods is my current passion.” Steve Marquisee Cabinetry is at 344 Keyser Run Road in Washington, Virginia

Steve Morse 540.987.9005
Explains forest certification and how it helps to sustain forests. Steve’s company, SJMORSE Co, in Capon Bridge, manufactures custom-sized wood veneer panels for architectural woodworkers and promotes the use of sustainable, rapidly renewable and recycled content wood products. Steve’s products incorporate FSC certified veneers, core materials and backs whenever possible. Steve’s email address is DAYMORSE@aol.com

Bruce Westfall
Bruce is a very talented craftsman with wood, metal and other products. He has restored several barns at Mt. Vernon farm and has a woodworking shop in one of the barns where he builds using wood harvested from the farm.