Working with Corporate Partners Biogreen USA, Holistic Pet Solutions, and others, the Natural Capital Association, a 501 c-6 trade organization, will create a pilot Central Virginia Trade Association for Vendors of “River Friendly” products and services. Currently called the “Council for River Friendly Yards”, the trade group  will exist to promote the need for River Friendly Yards to enhance property values, restore local streams and rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay via the products and services provided by trade organization members.

Later this year, college students will work in a neighborhood yet to determined in the C’ville-Albemarle area to test an educational and marketing enrollment strategy for homeowners to convert conventional lawn to River Friendly Yards. Details of the program are still being developed and for the Charlottesville area may feature a greater focus on particular native plants suited to the soils of Central Virginia. This incentives based economic development program is modeled on the River Friendly Yard system developed for Fredericksburg, Va. in 2012.