Member Spotlight
Change is inevitable; ugliness is not.
That’s Scenic Virginia’s motto. Founded in 1998 and based in Richmond, the organization is the only statewide conservation nonprofit dedicated solely to the preservation, protection and enhancement of the beauty and community character of the Commonwealth.
“Virginia’s beauty is such an integral part of who we are,” says executive director Leighton Powell. “When you travel anywhere in the world and tell someone that you’re from Virginia, the immediate response is, ‘Oh, it’s SO beautiful there!’ We agree, and Scenic Virginia exists to connect Virginians to this land so beloved by many, and to find ways to preserve the variety and depth of the beauty we share. We are on a mission!”
The desire to connect Virginians to treasured scenic beauty is evident in several longtime programs, including the annual Scenic Awards, which honors individuals, groups, elected officials, and businesses for their scenic conservation efforts. As in 2010, the 2011 Scenic Awards ceremony will take place at the historic Virginia State Capitol in October.
“The Viewshed Photo Competition,” notes Powell, “allows us to showcase the diversity of Virginia’s beauty – its mountains and piedmont, rivers and waterways, Chesapeake Bay and coastal areas, open space and farmland, and our cities and town – and to remind Virginians of the beauty around us. An added bonus is that we now have an extensive photo library – one we’re always willing to share with our fellow conservation organizations!”
Connecting Virginians to their scenic beauty is also present in two projects currently in development. After several months of information-gathering, Scenic Virginia has entered the strategic planning phase in the creation of a Virginia Viewshed Register that will catalog the Commonwealth’s most significant scenic areas and provide additional tools for scenic land conservation. In late January Scenic Virginia hosted a Viewshed Forum to hear from professionals currently using viewshed valuation methods in their work.
Also in the works is a statewide tree initiative that will catalog and connect the many tree-planting projects taking place in Virginia. “It could be children planting one tree at their school or Garden Clubs banding together to fund a larger effort, as four Clubs are doing here in Richmond. If it’s happening, we want to know about it,” remarks Powell.
All in all, the organization is looking forward to great things in 2011. In addition to the two new statewide projects, there are big administrative changes. The organization’s new president is Cessie Howell of Falmouth (whose husband, Bill, serves as Virginia’s Speaker of the House of Delegates), and there are several new, very energetic Board members.
The organization is on a roll, says Powell. “To quote one of my Board members, she says with a laugh, “’We are on fire!’”
That’s Scenic Virginia’s motto. Founded in 1998 and based in Richmond, the organization is the only statewide conservation nonprofit dedicated solely to the preservation, protection and enhancement of the beauty and community character of the Commonwealth.
“Virginia’s beauty is such an integral part of who we are,” says executive director Leighton Powell. “When you travel anywhere in the world and tell someone that you’re from Virginia, the immediate response is, ‘Oh, it’s SO beautiful there!’ We agree, and Scenic Virginia exists to connect Virginians to this land so beloved by many, and to find ways to preserve the variety and depth of the beauty we share. We are on a mission!”
The desire to connect Virginians to treasured scenic beauty is evident in several longtime programs, including the annual Scenic Awards, which honors individuals, groups, elected officials, and businesses for their scenic conservation efforts. As in 2010, the 2011 Scenic Awards ceremony will take place at the historic Virginia State Capitol in October.
“The Viewshed Photo Competition,” notes Powell, “allows us to showcase the diversity of Virginia’s beauty – its mountains and piedmont, rivers and waterways, Chesapeake Bay and coastal areas, open space and farmland, and our cities and town – and to remind Virginians of the beauty around us. An added bonus is that we now have an extensive photo library – one we’re always willing to share with our fellow conservation organizations!”
Connecting Virginians to their scenic beauty is also present in two projects currently in development. After several months of information-gathering, Scenic Virginia has entered the strategic planning phase in the creation of a Virginia Viewshed Register that will catalog the Commonwealth’s most significant scenic areas and provide additional tools for scenic land conservation. In late January Scenic Virginia hosted a Viewshed Forum to hear from professionals currently using viewshed valuation methods in their work.
Also in the works is a statewide tree initiative that will catalog and connect the many tree-planting projects taking place in Virginia. “It could be children planting one tree at their school or Garden Clubs banding together to fund a larger effort, as four Clubs are doing here in Richmond. If it’s happening, we want to know about it,” remarks Powell.
All in all, the organization is looking forward to great things in 2011. In addition to the two new statewide projects, there are big administrative changes. The organization’s new president is Cessie Howell of Falmouth (whose husband, Bill, serves as Virginia’s Speaker of the House of Delegates), and there are several new, very energetic Board members.
The organization is on a roll, says Powell. “To quote one of my Board members, she says with a laugh, “’We are on fire!’”
Contact:
Leighton Powell
Scenic Virginia
4 East Main Street, Suite 2A
Richmond, VA 23219
804.643.8439
www.scenicvirginia.org
Location
http://www.vcnva.org/anx/index.cfm/1,122,662,0,html
Copyright © Virginia Conservation Network 2012