Yesterday, the Conserv Board of Directors voted to rename the organization The Center for Natural Capital, Economic Development through Healthy Ecosystems. This action reflects the acquisition of Public Policy of Virginia earlier this year and the Board’s increasing interest in bottom-up, market-based solutions designed to increase the health of ecosystem services. The Board also adopted [...]
Conserv, in association with The Center for Sustainable Groundwater, has completed a beta-version of a capital expenditure planning tool for water supply utilities and local governments. The tool, called the Optimal Infrastructure Expenditure (OIE) Capital Planner,allows the user to optimize expenditures for green infrastructure (afforestation and forest conservation easements) and for grey infrastructure (dredging). The OIE Project [...]
Public radio story on Virginia Department of Forestry F2F tree planting project implementation moving forward… Congratulations to VDOF Forester David Powell, Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority Water Resources Manager Tamara Ambler, and farmer Richard Hudson on a great story! Also thanks to WAMU and NPR for providing awareness about this program.
Yesterday, an exploratory committee composed of for-profit businesses, non-profit organizations, and local governments enthusiastically agreed to move forward with a 24 month project to explore the efficiency of “river friendly” yards to help reduce pollution to the Chesapeake Bay. In the coming weeks, a Steering Committee composed of Gentle Gardener Green Design, The National Wildlife [...]
On Wednesday, March 30, at 10 a.m., at the George Washington Regional Commission Conference Room, the former Rappahannock River Basin Nonpoint Source Work Group (RRBC NPSWG) will meet for the first time in 2011 as a new Technical Committee. The Committee’s goals are: to facilitate discussions across sectors (wastewater, stormwater, on-site, agriculture and forestry) to [...]
Bay Friendly Yard Exploratory Meeting Tuesday, March 29 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. National Wildlife Federation Reston, Virginia After months of preparation, Conserv, in partnership with the Rappahnanock River Basin Commission, the National Wildlife Federation, Gentle Gardener Green Design, + Partners will convene to explore the financial and conservation benefits of a Bay Friendly Yard. [...]
Staff from Conserv, the Virginia Department of Forestry, and the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, will discuss progress on the South Fork Rivanna Forests to Faucets (F2F) Initiative at the upcoming VA Section AWWA Water Resources & Environment Spring Seminar. Water Resources Spring Seminar April 12, 2011 9:00 AM -3:00 PM Glen Allen Cultural Arts [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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. [...]
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 [...]
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 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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
On Friday, the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, Inc. approved the Virginia Department of Forestry’s proposal to pay landowners for ecosystem services in the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir. The three year program will establish a pilot system to provide annual payments to rural landowners to reduce sediment loss and increase watershed resilience. More details [...]
In this 40 minute lively interview, Rappahannock River Basin Commission Coordinator Eldon James discusses the Commission’s new initiative to use an economic development platform to restore the Rappahannock River and the Chesapeake Bay with Conserv Executive Director Michael Collins. Details about the agenda for the December 9 Symposium, Incentivizing Restoration through a Chesapeake Bay Economy, [...]
The upcoming economic development symposium, Incentivizing Restoration through a Chesapeake Bay Economy, is generating tremendous interest. Conserv will broadcast an interview with Rappahannock River Basin Commission staff member Eldon James on Saturday, November 14, on the symposium, the Rappahannock Exhange, and issues related to the notion of using economic development to restore the Chesapeake Bay.
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 within [...]
Sixth in the series on the Pillars of a Bioregional Economy to help restore keystone environmental assets…Conserv Executive Director Michael Collins interviews one of the governmental leaders in Virginia in the emerging area of ecosystem services…Virginia Department of Forestry Director of the Division of Forestland Conservation, Everette “Buck” Kline. This 20 minute broadcast includes basic [...]
We are working on the following for publication this week: An update on the Rappahannock Exchange Kickoff and Symposium, to be held in Fredericksburg December 9. A podcast interview with Buck Kline, Director of Forestland Conservation for the Virginia Department of Forestry and one of the senior statesmen for ecosystem services in Virginia. Another in [...]
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 [...]
The Rappahannock River Basin Symposium Steering Committee welcomes the assistance of Jacquelyn Holley Pogue with design and facilitation of the symposium. Jacqueline has been a university teacher, psychotherapist, partner in a nation wide consulting firm, facilitator/mediator for organizations, consultant to corporations and mentor for executives, in addition to her role as founder of coalitions and a community organizer providing training and leadership of dialogue [...]
Just released from the Rappahannock River Basin Commission: 2009 Rappahannock River Basin Symposium Creating a Bay-friendly Economy The Rappahannock River Basin Commission, in conjunction with The Virginia Department of Forestry, Conserv, and other partners, will host the 2009 Rappahannock River Symposium called Creating a Bay-friendly Economy. The symposium will be a highly interactive educational opportunity. [...]
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 [...]
Graves Mountain Lodge, Syria, Virginia… Eldon James, staff member to the Commission, proposed the following framework for the launch of the Rapahannock Exchange Initiative. The Rappahannock River Basin Commission, working with Conserv, the Virginia Department of Forestry, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Virginia Ecosystem Services Interagency Team, will sponsor a fall [...]
Tomorrow, Conserv will post the briefing presented today to the Rappahannock River Basin Commission on the kickoff symposium for the Rappahannock Exchange on December 9 in Fredericksburg.
The City of Charlottesville, County of Albemarle, Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, The Rivanna River Basin Commission, Congressman Tom Perriello, The World Resources Institute, and others have provided letters of support for a Virginia Department of Forestry proposal to undertake a pilot project for payment of regulating ecosystem services (PRES) in the South Fork Rivanna [...]