APRIL 2019
 NEWSLETTER
ANNIVERSARY LUNCHEON
25 YEARS OF SAVING NEARBY NATURE LUNCHEON 
On March 21, we joined together with more than 200 friends in Arlington at the Key Bridge Marriott to celebrate our 25th anniversary. Guests included elected officials, local landowners, conservation leaders, event sponsors and other key stakeholders who heard from a number of engaging speakers. The program was packed with exciting presentations and hopefully will be a great springboard as we look ahead to our next quarter century. NVCT was presented with a congressional record as well as a resolution from the Virginia General Assembly to commend the organization on its 25th anniversary and the land protection work that we have accomplished since our founding. To read the full recap of the event, click here and to view the photos taken at the event, please visit our Flickr page.
UPCOMING EVENTS
CONSERVATION SOCIAL TONIGHT - APRIL HAPPY HOUR!
We hope you'll join us this evening in Prince William County! In honor of our 25th anniversary year, we've launched a new social program! On the 25th of every month , we will be gathering folks together to network and discuss ideas about how to make a difference in our region. Join us tonight at The Farm Brewery at Broad Run to kick off our third Conservation Social of the year. Bring your friends and family, arrive when you can and let's enjoy an evening with great food and drink! View the full details below and visit our website to learn more.

  • Where: The Farm Brewery at Broad Run, 16015 John Marshall Hwy, Broad Run, VA 20137
  • When: Thursday, April 25, 2019
  • Time: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
IN THE COMMUNITY
VIRGINIA LAND CONSERVATION & GREENWAYS CONFERENCE
Our staff attended the Virginia Land Conservation & Greenways Conference in Richmond, VA in early April. Since 2007, Virginia’s United Land Trusts have brought together conservation leaders and volunteers to learn how we can all work together to protect Virginia's natural and open spaces and to learn from those who've had great success. Thanks to the many guest presenters and to VaULT for hosting the conference!
CELEBRATION AT WOODMONT
We gathered on April 7 to celebrate the completion of the Woodmont swale restoration by Northern Virginia Conservation Trust and Arlington County. This major construction and land conservation project has taken years of effort and partnership between NVCT, the County and local landowners to eliminate the serious erosion and flooding problems at the Arlington property. It's a great example of what can be accomplished when local residents, county government and conservation groups work together!

Now we turn our efforts toward ensuring that the ravine is both a thriving natural woodland and an asset to the local neighborhood. Local neighbors and County staff gathered to discuss the plan to eliminate destructive invasive plant species on the site that can seriously degrade the natural environment and pose a very real threat if left unaddressed. NVCT is partnering with the County and local homeowners on a new five-year invasive species management plan.

A thank you to the neighbors who hosted us that care so much about this place and to Arlington Board Member Matt de Ferranti for his support and presence at the event.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
NVCT LAUNCHES REFRESHED BRAND
As you know, we're celebrating our 25th anniversary year. We’re proud of the conserved lands we own and care for that have helped create sustainable and healthy communities in our region. NVCT is your local land trust that is working every day to enhance urban and rural communities alike across Northern Virginia. Our story is about the people and places that make our area unique and special and we hope you’re excited to be a part of the next chapter ahead.

In order to better serve our current supporters and reach new audiences, NVCT has embarked on a journey to refresh our branding and visual identity. You may have noticed we've updated our logo to reflect the urban and rural aspects of our work and we've also implemented a new color palette. We're also pleased to say that we've launched a brand new website, which you can check out by visiting nvct.org !
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA ANNOUNCES CONSERVEVIRGINIA
Governor Northam announced ConserveVirginia, a new initiative to identify and prioritize Virginia’s highest value conservation lands through data-driven technology. ConserveVirginia’s central feature is a living “smart map” that identifies approximately 6.3 million acres of priority lands for conservation. Through this new system, the Commonwealth of Virginia will be able to direct limited resources towards those key areas and measure the progress that is made toward achieving multiple conservation goals.

NVCT applauds the time and effort that has been put into this new initiative to strengthen conservation efforts in Virginia. ConserveVirginia will help NVCT to identify and target key conservation lands in our nine-county service area. This is a first-of-its-kind strategy in the nation and we support the efforts being made to protect the special places that make our Commonwealth so special. To view the online map, click here.
HELPFUL HINTS
EMERALD ASH BORER BEETLES
Now's the time of the year where emerald ash borer (EAB) beetles are beginning to emerge and they can be extremely harmful to ash trees. If you'd like to learn about the several options available to help protect the remaining ash trees from emerald ash borer, visit Fairfax County's website.