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Virginia ASSOCIATION OF Rc&d council’s 2006 annual report |
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Converting Waste Wood to High Quality Charcoal Waste wood left after harvest, hurricanes and other activities is a common problem in coastal Virginia. The Tidewater RC&D Council worked with a local logging business and Virginia Tech to create a microbusiness that produces high quality lump charcoal. This charcoal is used by gourmet cooks who prefer a more natural product without chemical binders. A grant from the US Forest Service Economic Action Program was used to purchase two custom designed kilns. These kilns are portable and can be moved to harvest sites. The kiln design was provided by Phil Radke of Virginia Tech. The first person to explore this new enterprise was Carolyn Balderson of Cimmeron Forestry, a local logging business. For Carolyn this was an opportunity to gain extra income from an unused waste product. Marketing, having an ample supply of waste wood, and learning the art of producing this type of charcoal are important to making this business a success. The charcoal will be marketed locally to other small businesses and private users. |
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Protecting Woodland Homes from Wildfire The New River-Highlands RC&D Council completed fuel reductions on 186 acres of woodland reducing wildfire risks for 105 woodland homes. The fuel reduction was completed on eligible property within 3 miles of a National Forest. Fuel reduction measures included cutting brush and eliminating other materials that might fuel a fire. Living in a house surrounded by nature and woodlands can be peaceful and beautiful, but it can also be risky. The Virginia Department of Forestry reported 869 wildfires that burned 5,331 acres and damaged 12 homes and 34 structures in 2004. To protect woodland homes from the threat of wildfires, the New River-Highlands RC&D Council secured a $200,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Forestry for fuel reduction treatment. The funds come through the USDA Forest Service fire program under the Stevens Amendment Act. |
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Cultural Heritage Drives Economic Development Using history to increase the local economy through tourism, the Wilson Kautz Driving Trail offers historical interpretation at 26 Civil War sites in nine counties and the City of Petersburg. In the fall of 2000, the Old Dominion RC&D Council provided funds from the Virginia Department of Transportation to build the trail. They also researched historic locations, contracted for interpretive signs, and coordinated marketing of the trail. The trail has proved a boon to local economies. In fact, Civil War trails are the second most popular visitor attraction in the state. Since the trail opened, thousands of people have come to Southside Virginia. These Civil War trails have boosted the region’s economy by more than $6 million. Along the trail, large metal signs recount the battles which occurred on this land— the most fought over ground during the final days of the Civil War. They carry details and pictures of a raid on one of the major Confederate supply lines by Union Generals James Wilson and August Kautz. Now, 140 years later, the trail is being used by the West Point Military Academy’s Cavalry and Scout Club as part of their cadets’ military field training. One of the cadets to visit the trail was Captain Andres Houghton who was fatally wounded in combat in Iraq. His family has established an endowment to sponsor the trip each year as a memorial to Captain Houghton. An article in the Military Academy newsletter noted, “The staff ride extends the legacy of his honorable service and provides the cadets of the Cavalry Club with a model of dedicated service and officership to emulate.” |
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Bio-Diesel Workshop In August 2006, South Hampton Roads RC&D Council hosted a local Bio-Diesel Workshop. Seventy participants learned what bio-diesel is; how to make it safely; and how to make a quality product that can be used in tractors and trucks. Extension specialists informed the group which oil seed stocks were best suited for bio-diesel production. Partners included Hampton Roads Clean Cities Coalition, U. S. Department of Energy, Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals & Energy, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Griffin Oil and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. |
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Financing Local Land and Water Protection Many communities struggle with natural resources protection: how do we weigh and address the costs and benefits of protection versus restoration? While there is a great deal of sophistication in terms of environmental planning for communities, knowing how to pay for resource protection is significantly more complex. To meet this challenge, the University of Maryland’s Environmental Finance Center (EFC) and Evergreen Capital Advisors (ECA) are working with the Shenandoah RC&D Council and the Valley Conservation Council (VCC) to gather stakeholders across the Shenandoah and James river watersheds. They are identifying reasonableprotection goals, setting local strategies, and putting in place pilot projects to finance Shenandoah Calley land and water protection initiatives over the long term. This project, funded by the Virginia Environmental Endowment, kicked off with a series of “Leadership Dialogues” in which the project team met with representatives from all cities and counties in the Shenandoah RC&D region to find out key natural resource concerns and goals. As a result of those dialogues, three financing charrettes were held on key topics identified by localities: land protection, stormwater management, and greenways. A financing charrette brings together local leaders to design the most effective financing mechanism for the topic at hand. Finally, pilot projects will be designed and implemented. |