Highland County resident John Sweet has been named Valley Conservation Council’s Conservator of the Year. The award, presented at Valley Conservation Council’s (VCC) annual conservation celebration, recognized Sweet’s lifetime of environmental stewardship, culminating most recently with a donation of his 386-acre farm to the organization. “When it came time for VCC’s board and staff to […]

Click Here to download our monthly e-newsletter for September highlighting VCC news and conservation news from around the Valley. If you would like to receive the newsletter directly to your inbox each month, call our office 540-886-3541 or e-mail emily@valleyconservation.org so we can add you to our mailing list! September E-New The post September E-News from […]

Valley Conservation Council (VCC) is pleased to announce the promotion of Natasha Skelton to Executive Director. Skelton, who joined the organization in early 2017 as Associate Director for Outreach, brings with her a background in agricultural education and communications management along with a lifetime of experience building relationships with individuals and organizations throughout the Shenandoah […]

Exciting news! Valley Conservation Council has been invited to apply for accreditation with the Land Trust Alliance. The land trust accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. A public comment period is now open. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program […]

Once again, Kites and Critters was a great day on the farm on Bells Lane. Children and sheep alike enjoyed a day outside with opportunities to learn and explore. Activities like the farm petting zoo and trout release into Poague’s Run allowed families to experience a farm in a way that has become uncommon for […]

Outreach and Stewardship Coordinator Background: Valley Conservation Council (VCC) is a regional, not-for-profit land trust that permanently protects land with significant conservation values in the Shenandoah and Upper James River watersheds in Virginia. Currently more than 166,000 acres of land and waterways in 11 counties of this region are under protective easements facilitated or held […]

On June 28, agriculture producers came out of the fields to discuss the economic impacts of their industry during a forum hosted by Valley Conservation Council’s Shenandoah Valley Agriculture Preservation Alliance (Ag Alliance) along with agency staff, conservation groups, and related professionals.  Across the nation, Americans are an average of three generations removed from the farm.  However, the […]

Our 2016 Annual Report is now available! Paper copies of the annual report were mailed at the end of June, but in case you missed it, we’ve also posted the report online. If you did not receive a copy in the mail, but would like to receive future VCC correspondence, please contact us with your […]

On April 23 the clouds parted and over 150 people came out to a farm nestled in Staunton’s very own Agricultural District, the slice of farmland between the pleasant hubbub of city life and the hum of Interstate 81. Here in the Shenandoah Valley, we’re invested in making sure our children grow up knowing the […]

When VCC takes on a conservation easement, we assume responsibility for the stewardship of that land in perpetuity (forever!).  Each year, staff and volunteers visit those easements, ensuring that they are in good shape and that the owners of these special places have access to the resources they need to be good stewards of the […]