What makes this project unique is the attempt to incentivize river friendly suburban river friendly retrofits through a suite of property owner rewards, rather than through direct government/grant payments and/or through exclusive public education. It is hoped that recognition of the economic impediments to river friendly landscaping, and addressing those, will lead to a robust private sector - based self-replicating restoration program.

1. The Rappahannock River Basin Commission approved acceptance of grant that provides partial financial support from the Virginia Department of Forestry last week.

2. A project website has been launched and will be regularly revised in the weeks ahead.

3. A design charette will be held tomorrow, December 13, at the George Washington Regional Commission from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This business development process is a key objective of Conserv’s R&D focus. This birthing process is not an end, rather a new beginning - and we will continue to support John and the CMS team as they work to grow the business in the months and years ahead.

In addition to his degree in Forest Economics, Dan is also working on completion of Doctoral research on the ethical stewardship of natural resources using a balance of methods to capture the range of guiding values from instrumental (quantitative) to intrinsic (qualitative), from the perspective of current and future generations. His wisdom, experience, and genuine concern for people and nature of this generation and those to come will be an invaluable asset to Conserv and all of its Partners.   

The Mission of the River-Friendly Yard Initiative is to determine the costs and benefits of conversion of conventional suburban lawn to a river-friendly yard for the City of Fredericksburg and perhaps also including suburban lands in surrounding jurisdictions. The River-Friendly Yard is a landscape design concept intended to reduce nutrient pollution loading to the Rappahannock River of Virginia.

The project is important because according to the Chesapeake Bay Program, approximately 10% of the nitrogen entering the Chesapeake Bay is from urban/suburban sources. The project audience is urban/suburban homeowners with existing lawns and City public works staff that maintain public spaces. The audience also includes parties likely to be involved in a future river-friendly yard economy (nurserymen, lawn and garden retailers, landscape contractors, etc.).  These comprise the “social capital” required to create a self-sustaining river-friendly yard culture beyond the life of research and development seed funding.

Phase I kickoff is set for fall of this year.