Along with partners in the Shenandoah Valley Conservation Collaborative, we’ve been exploring a new way to connect landowners with technical expertise and funding for all kinds of conservation actions like rain gardens, cover crops, new trees, permeable pavers, native plantings, streambank repair, cattle exclusion, and much more.
These workshops began with a focus on large working landscapes like farms and forests, but recently in Keezletown we expanded the program so that landowners with parcels of all sizes can participate.
Here’s how it works:
- Interested landowners pre-register and we create large-scale aerial maps of their parcel(s). When participants arrive at the event, they’re seated at a table with their property map.
- We invite our conservation partners who rotate around the landowner tables and provide tailored advice for each landowner, specific to their property and their conservation goals.
- Each conservation practitioner spends about 10 minutes with each landowner, so at the end of the event, the landowner has spent about an hour or so meeting with 6+ experts.
- Then we have a meal together so landowners and conservation partners can discuss any further interest in specific conservation projects or talk with their neighbors.
We’ve loved this format—landowners get real actionable advice for their property, making it more efficient for them to implement practices, and our conservation partners say they get great follow ups from landowners who participated. Plus, it’s fun!
If you’re interested in hosting a conservation speed-dating workshop in your corner of the Valley, reach out to Director of Conservation Kevin Tate.