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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

A capacity crowd of approximately 130 persons attended the 2009 Rappahannock Symposium at Mary Washington University in Fredericksburg. Particularly noteworthy was the diversity of attendees, with approximately 30% from the for-profit private sector. Complete findings from the Symposium will be available from the Rappahannock River Basin Commission in the coming weeks. One-half of the day [...]

In this special Thanksgiving broadcast, Dr. Ellen Davis, the Amos Ragan Kearns Distinguished Professor of Bible and Practical Theology at Duke Divinity School, discusses the principles of an agrarian, or ecological economy, as seen by biblical writers of the Old Testament. The approximately hour-long interview also discusses biological diversity, the economics of [...]

I’m amazed at the sustainability zeitgeist of our times. Thanks to Joe Starinchak for passing along some great journal articles….

From David J. Brunckhorst at the UNESCO Centre for Bioregional Resource Management in Australia….Institutions to Sustain Ecological and Social Systems, an older article (2002) that gets at the need for bioregional thinking. The article however is [...]

The Steering Committee of the Rappahannock River Basin Commission’s 2009 Symposium has finalized the agenda for the December 9 event:

Incentivizing Restoration through a Chesapeake Bay Economy
A Symposium Hosted by the
Rappahannock River Basin Commission (RRBC)
December 9, 2009
University of Mary Washington
Stafford Campus, 121 University Boulevard, Fredericksburg, 22406
This groundbreaking economic development-environmental policy conference will begin with a series [...]

Imagine a day in the not too distant future when the government and private sector work in concert to achieve Chesapeake Bay restoration. Imagine watershed-based marketplaces found in every major river basin transacting products and services, every one of which, contributes to bringing the Bay back to life. Imagine communities, businesses, and landowners interacting [...]

The early operational framework that has been developed for the Rappahannock Exchange, a proposed bioregional marketplace to be located in Central Virginia, to stretch from the Chesapeake Bay to the Blue Ridge Mountains, features the use of an “Environmental Business Indicator”. Exactly how the indicator will be deployed won’t be known until the Ecosystem Services [...]

Yesterday, at the Chesapeake Bay Reathorization Hearing, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, amid impressive, heartfelt, bipartisan testimonies and commentaries of folks around the Bay, including Tom Perriello, Secretary Preston Bryant, and Gerry Connolly, were the words of Rob Wittman, and from EPA, Chuck Fox, sowing the seeds of a 21st century Bay-friendly economy:
Excerpt from [...]

Last week, the Rappahannock River Basin Commission, working with Conserv, the Virginia Department of Forestry, and the George Washington Regional Commission, submitted a Greenhouse Gas Reduction proposal for federal funding. One of the novel ideas contained in the proposal is to tie Virginia Greenhouse Gas reduction goal to products and services listed on The Rappahannock [...]

Yesterday, environmental history was made at the Old Beale Memorial Church in Tappahannock, the oldest documented courthouse in Virginia. Surrounded by Flemish bond brickwork with salt-glazed headers and compass-headed windows, the Rappahannock River Basin Commission took the first step toward moving Virginia into the ranks of the leaders of the worldwide ecosystem services movement.
In a [...]

Conserv and the Rappahannock River Basin Commission, working with other agencies and organizations, will soon make an announcement about a major event to be held later this year.

This week we will feature daily posts on Deep Green Classifieds, Conserv’s newest marketplace. Deep Green was launched last week along with an overall upgrade to Version IV of the site. The following are the themes for each article:

Today - Origins and theory of Deep Green
Tuesday - How to use Deep Green
Wednesday - Deep Green [...]

As I struggle to get a market-based grant application out the door by COB on Friday, it seems necessary to review the latest information on the Chesapeake—the television programs, columns, and reports. It’s well, just incredible work. There is though a worldview that I belive is at the least, understated, and at most, missing, from [...]