Good conservation is always a partnership between people and the land. The landowners we work with, the members who support us, and the localities, agencies, and other groups who join in these projects are all essential to successful conservation. We could never do this work alone.
Below is a short list of some of the organizations we work with regularly. Many are active partners in our projects, others are very useful sources for information and connections.
Our partners in land protection
Virginia Outdoors Foundation
www.vofonline.org
VCC shares responsibility for a number of conservation easements with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, whose mission is “to promote the preservation of open space lands and to encourage private gifts of money, securities, land or other property to preserve the natural, scenic, historic, open-space and recreational areas of the Commonwealth.” VOF holds easements on over 286,000 acres in 86 local jurisdictions, including over 42,000 acres in the VCC region.
Soil and Water Conservation Districts
VCC is proud to work with the Headwaters, Natural Bridge, and Lord Fairfax Soil and Water Conservation Districts to co-hold important easements on 646 acres of land along rivers and streams in the Shenandoah and Upper James river watersheds.
Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation
www.shenandoahatwar.org
The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation works to protect 10 battlefields in the National Historic District through land and conservation easement acquisition and preservation planning.
The Conservation Fund
www.conservationfund.org
Much of VCC’s work is built around principles detailed in Better Models for Development in the Shenandoah Valley, a book we produced in partnership with The Conservation Fund, the nation’s foremost environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting America’s most important landscapes and waterways.
Other Land Use Organizations in the Region
Community Alliance for Preservation
www.preserverockingham.org
CAP works with the public, elected leaders and local and state government agencies to enhance Rockingham County’s rural character, urban spaces and natural and cultural resources. CAP strives to achieve these goals by providing timely and accurate information to foster good public policy in transportation and land use planning and land conservation. Some current issues include hydrofracking for natural gas and road projects including I-81.
Rockbridge Area Conservation Council
http://organizations.rockbridge.net/racc/
Promotes wise stewardship of natural and cultural resources through education, advocacy, and action in order to protect and enhance the quality of life for present and future inhabitants of Rockbridge County.
Scenic 340
Scenic 340 Project Website
The Scenic 340 Project seeks to preserve and protect the unique rural character, the natural environment and heritage of the Route 340 corridor from Front Royal to Waynesboro. The group ahs focused primarily on road design issues, such as Context Sensitive Solutions for transportation planning, as well as educating the public about conservation easements and other land protection tools. Read their white paper on Context Sensitive Solutions 
(pdf format).
Shenandoah Forum
www.shenandoahforum.org
Shenandoah Forum is a group of Shenandoah County residents who works to foster informed dialogue among diverse interests in the county to address issues of growth and development. Its mission is to ensure the county remains essentially rural, preserves a healthy environment, promotes a sustainable economy and provides a high quality of life for the people who live here.
Shenandoah Resource Conservation and Development Council
www.shenandoahrcd.org/
The Shenandoah Resource Conservation and Development Council (a non-profit organization) is organized for the purpose of enhancing the quality of public and private decisions and programs in the Shenandoah Valley as they affect the care and use of natural resources.
Shenandoah Valley Network
www.shenandoahvalleynetwork.org/
The Shenandoah Valley Network links organizations in the Valley working on specific transportation and development issues. The Network also connects Valley residents with state and national organizations and resources.
Other land trusts working in the region
Western Virginia Land Trust
www.westernvirginialandtrust.org
A publicly supported charitable organization providing voluntary means to promote the preservation of western Virginia’s natural and cultural heritage. WVLT works in Bedford, Botetourt, Carroll, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Henry, Montgomery, Patrick and Roanoke counties.
Potomac Conservancy
www.potomac.org
The Potomac Conservancy protects lands vital to the health, beauty, and enjoyment of the Potomac River and its tributaries. They work in Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia. Their Shenandoah office is in Winchester.
Piedmont Environmental Council
www.pecva.org
PEC promotes and protects the Virginia Piedmont’s rural economy, natural resources, history and beauty. While focused primarily on the east side of the Blue Ridge, PEC also assists landowners in Clarke County and helps strengthen other organizations throughout the state.
The Nature Conservancy
www.nature.org
An international organization, The Nature Conservancy recently opened an office in Warm Springs to help protect fragile ecological resources centered in parts of Bath and Highland Counties.
Trust for Public Land
www.tpl.org
The Trust for Public Land was most recently successful in establishing a new public state park along one of the Seven Bends of the Shenandoah River near Woodstock.
Water Organizations in the Region
Cowpasture River Preservation Association
www.cowpastureriver.org
CRPA works to preserve the natural condition and beauty of the Cowpasture River and its tributaries for present and future generations.
Upper James River Roundtable
www.upperjamesrcd.com
Serving the Upper James counties of Highland, Bath, Alleghany Botetourt, Craig, and Rockbridge, this organization brings together local groups, agencies, and governments to support and improve the river and its tributaries.
Pure Water Forum
www.purewaterforum.org/
the Forum works at promoting clean water and addressing water quality issues through networking, education, and action in the Shenandoah River Watershed. The Forum brings together under one umbrella a diverse group of community interests, including representatives from Valley citizen conservation groups, local and state governments, business and industry, agriculture, educators, conservation and planning districts, and others.
Friends of the Shenandoah River
www.fosr.org
The Friends of the Shenandoah River is a volunteer, non-profit, scientific organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of the Shenandoah River and it’s tributaries. Friends of the Shenandoah River facilitates volunteer water sampling and testing throughout the watershed along with other projects.
Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River
www.fnfsr.org
Based in Woodstock, Friends of the North Fork is a grassroots citizens group dedicated to enhancing the purity, beauty and natural flow of the North Fork of the Shenandoah.
