At the Conserv Board of Directors Annual Meeting today, a resolution was approved to explore the relationships between eastern forests and ocean acidification. Rather than a new interest area, this is an expansion in scale of the Forests to Faucets (F2F) program.
Resolution
By
Association of Conservation Real Estate dba Conserv
Board of Directors
December 10, 2010
Whereas the Chicago Climate [...]
Early work has now begun on the South Fork Rivanna Optimum Environmental Expenditure (OEE) Model. The Model will provide a quantitative process to compare the cost of pollution reduction gained through natural infrastructure (conservation practices) vs. the cost of pollution reduction gained through built infrastructure (dredging, etc.). This project will help provide one of the [...]
Conserv’s 4th quarter Board meeting will take place Friday, December 1, from 10-12 in Charlottesville, at the ReMAX office on Hydraulic Road.
The Capital
Richmond, Virginia
Wednesday, December 1
The Rappahannock River Basin Commission has taken another step forward in its multi-year program to implement market-based solutions to restore water quality in the Rappahannock River and Chesapeake Bay. At their quarterly meeting, in a unanimous vote (with one abstention), the Commission has decided to move forward with the testing of [...]
American Conservation Broker Roger Voisinet has three lots now on the market at one of the nation’s oldest conservation subdivisions in Greene County, Virginia. Called Farmcolony, it is a several hundred acre piedmont foothills farm that was preserved via this conservation development in the 1970s. Three upland lots (36, 37, and 38) with the best [...]
This fall, working with a host of for profit, non-profit, and government partners, Conserv plans on testing the efficacy of market-based pollution management practices to meet EPA’s Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment. The test will primarily be comprised of a simulation, similar to the Buy, Sell, Trade Game developed by [...]
The State of Georgia has approved the formation of the Georgia Chapter of the Association of Conservation Real Estate. Pam Sunderland, Director of the State Chapter as well as the new National Association of Conservation Real Estate, will immediately begin to recruit a state Board of Directors, develop a web site, and create an American [...]
As a result of Conserv’s collaboration with the Rappahannock River Basin Commission in 2010, the convening of the Rappahannock Exchange Business Advisory Council, and subsequent meetings and discussions, Conserv’s Board of Directors and Staff is considering the launch of a new business unit of the organization, called The Watershed Exchange for Clean Water (WatershedXH2O). The [...]
Georgia resident and former Maryland farm girl Pamela Sunderland has agreed to become Conserv’s first Director of Real Estate. Pam has a strong business background - as a retail owner and environmental consultant, and will be using her talents to move the following Initiatives forward:
A repackaging and refinement of the program to create a Georgia [...]
The first of three Rappahannock Initiative Working Groups will be convened in early August. The Marketplace Working Group is composed primarily of retailers and business persons from the basin. The purpose of the pilot Marketplace is to reduce the amount of Nitrogen and Phosphorus entering the Bay through increases in the sale of “Bay-friendly” products [...]
“Bids” for South Fork Rivanna Reservoir Watershed Forest Establishment projects opened July 15 and will run through July 39. See the F2F site for more details.
On June and July 8, two “Landowner Workshops” were held at the Virginia Department of Forestry in Charlottesville. The purpose of the Workshops were primarily to provide information about the Forest Establishment Bidding Process. Information from the following presentations was discussed:
Buck Kline Presentation
Michael Collins Presentation
Forest Easement Presentation
Dave Powell Presentation on Forest Establishment Details
[...]
Last week, another step toward creation of a bioregional economy based on Rappahannock River restoration, moved forward. As proposed by staff with Conserv (Rappahannock Business Council Kickoff Presentation), working with the Rappahannock River Basin Commission, the proposed Economic Development Initiative would contain two programs; a Marketplace or Exchange 2.0, facilitating and tracking the sale of [...]
Last week, the Virginia Department of Forestry, working with Conserv, hosted the first F2F Landowner Workshop. The purpose of the workshop was to provide information necessary for landowners in the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir Watershed to submit forest establishment project “bids”. Bidding opens July 12 and closes July 30. Bids will be accepted through the F2F [...]
Charlottesville Daily Progress Sunday Paper Commentary…
Dateline 29 Television News Story…
Continuing information is available at the F2F site.
Conserv welcomes Buzz VanSantvoord (with fish below) as the organization’s first Director of Marketplace Development. Buzz will be working part-time for the organization on the Rappahannock Marketplace Initiative. Buzz will be working on the overall design of the Marketplace and on the “Chesapeake Friendly” certification protocols. Buzz is also President of Road Runner Consulting helping [...]
Today, Conserv, working with the Rappahannock River Basin Commission, sent out Invitations to attend the Kickoff of the Rappahannock Nutrient Cooperative Business Advisory Council at the University of Mary Washington Jebson Business Center on Thursday, June 10 from 10-1 p.m. The invitation from Virginia State Senator Emmett Hanger is below:
May 25, 2010
Dear Friend of [...]
Rappahannock Marketplace Business Advisory Council
June 10 Kickoff
10 a.m – 1 p.m.
University of Mary Washington
Jepson Business Center
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Agenda
Welcome and Charge - 10 a.m.
Purpose of Gathering – 10:00 – 10:10
Rappahannock Marketplace History – 10:10 – 10:20
Exchange [...]
As if we don’t already have enough problems with war and our economy. On the environmental front, the Deepwater Horizon drilling disaster has some already calling it the worst ecological catastrophe in U.S. history. We are all now familiar with the situation - according to NOAA, a riser pipe which used to lead from [...]
The Deep Green Classifieds portion of the site is down.
The format for the Classifieds is now being revised.
New Ads for 2010 are now being accepted.
We are particularly interested in featuring rural landowners offering the following “ecosystem services” for sale or lease in 2010 in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina:
For Fee Fishing
Hunting Leases
Water Quality [...]
Kickoff Meeting for
Rappahannock Marketplace Business Council
Please Hold this Date!
Thursday, June 10
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Jepson Center, University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Conserv and the Rappahannock River Basin Commission will convene a special follow-up meeting to the Rappahannock River Basin Symposium 2009:Incentivizing Restoration through a Chesapeake Bay Economy
The Business Council will be an Advisory Body to [...]
Today, Conserv was provided the green light to proceed with design and implementation of an ecosystem services marketplace for the Rivanna Forests to Faucets (F2F) Initiative. The marketplace will provide a platform for landowners in the South Fork Rivanna River Reservoir watershed to bid conservation practices for ecosystem services payment funds through the F2F program.
Implementation [...]
As a follow-up to the Rappahannock River Basin Commission 2009 Symposium, Conserv will convene a Rappahannock Marketplace Business Council in April or May of this year. Council participation will be by invitation only and will surely include business persons that participated in the fall symposium.
The Council is expected to consist of approximately 30 stakeholders and [...]
Conserv, under a contract with the Virginia Department of Forestry, has launched a new website to support the South Fork Rivanna Forests to Faucets (F2F) Initiative. The website will contain a library of resources to support meetings of an F2F Advisory Council and ad-hoc Technical Sessions for deliverables such as an ecosystem services cost benefits [...]
Conserv welcomes Nick Evans, PhD, as the first Director of Research. Nick is a graduate of the Sorensen Institute and Chairman of the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District and is a Principal with Virginia Groundwater, LLC and The Center for Sustainable Groundwater. Nick will be taking responsibility for several of the technical components [...]
Since the day after the December 9, 2009 Rappahannock River Basin Symposium, Incentivizing Restoration through a Chesapeake Bay Economy, during which 130 citizens concerned about the health of the Rappahannock River and Chesapeake Bay examined a proposal to create a “Chesapeake Bay Economy” via a “Rappahannock Exchange”, Conserv has been busy working with parties on [...]
This morning, a diverse group of about 25 persons gathered at the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) in Charlottesville to discuss the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir (SFRR) Forests to Faucets (F2F) Initiative. Posted below is Conserv Executive Director Michael Collins’ Presentation (with minor edits) along with that of Director of Forestland Conservation Buck Kline. More [...]
Conserv: Marketplace for Ecosystem Restoration, working with The Center for Sustainable Groundwater, and Virginia Groundwater, LLC, have completed the study Underground Albemarle Revisited: The Role of Groundwater Ecosystem Services in Determining an Optimal Sustainable Population Size for the Charlottesville/Albemarle Community. The study was prepared for the non-profit organization, Advocates for a Sustainable Albemarle Population (ASAP).
The [...]
Conserv-Marketplace for Ecosystem Restoration has been awarded a contract with the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) to provide project support for the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir (SFRR) Forests to Faucets (F2F) Initiative in Charlottesville, Virginia. The primary mission of this groundbreaking program is to create a new model process to financially link urban water consumers [...]
Conserv congratulates Pam Sunderland of Atlanta, Georgia as the first American Conservation Broker in the state of Georgia. Pam is interested in scaling Conserv’s national conservation broker platform down to a statewide or bioregional scale. Pam has already begun working in Georgia to create a new certification initiative based on Conserv’s curriculum. In addition, Pam [...]
As a result of the symposium Incentivizing Restoration through a Chesapeake Bay Economy held in December, 2009, Conserv, working with a grassroots consortium of business, government, and NGO partners, will facilitate the launch of the Rappahannock Marketplace Business Council to create the Business Plan for the Rappahannock Marketplace - also known as the Rappahannock Exchange.
More [...]
More information forthcoming….
Forests to Faucets (F2F) Advisory Council
Meeting Announcement and Agenda
Meeting Announcement
The Virginia Department of Forestry and Conserv invites you to attend a meeting of the new Forests to Faucets (F2F) Advisory Council. The Council will advise the Department on issues and processes related to implementation of the Rivanna South Fork Reservoir Forests to [...]
Months ago, after leaving a government job to work nearly full time for Conserv, my wife and I scrutinized our financial spreadsheet and reduced expenses. One of things that had to go was T.V., a difficult choice, sports fan that I am. In its place, I’ve rediscovered radio, albeit 21st century style, through the magic [...]