Policy on the #NNK

Preservation Virginia seeks nominations for the most endangered historic places in the state. The deadline for submitting one or more properties is January 5, 2024. Nominate properties online . According to Preservation Virginia , The list, which has brought attention to 170 sites in Virginia, encourages individuals, organizations and local and state governments to advocate for their preservation and find solutions that will save these unique locations for future generations. The program has a track record of success. Only 10% of the sites listed so far were lost to demolition or neglect. This year’s program reflects some of the most pressing issues impacting historic places in Virginia and the nation, including threats from inequality, climate change and flooding, large-scale industrial development, lack of stewardship and changes in urban planning to accommodate increased housing needs. Partnerships are needed on local, state and federal levels to find adaptive, collaborat...

The governor has announced $14.7 million in land conservation grants to protect 55,575 acres statewide. The Northern Neck is represented by two grants, one in Richmond County and one in Westmoreland County. Together, the NNK projects account for 1,284 acres and $2,301,166. Richmond County Requesting organization Rappahannock Tribe of Virginia Project name: Acquiring Rappahannock Tribe's Ancestral Homelands Phase III Acquisition of 964 acres on the Rappahannock River at Fones Cliffs, the ancestral homelands of the Rappahannock Tribe. The site, adjacent to property owned by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, contains a mile of frontage on the river. Amount: $1,716,166 Categories: Historic Preservation, Forestland Preservation Westmoreland County Requesting organization The Trust for Public Land Project name: Lower Potomac River Corridor Conservation easements on 320 acres of farmland along the Potomac River and Popes Creek. These conserved farms will be connected t...

Earlier this week, public radio station WHRO published the story Virginia is starting to take on hundreds of boats abandoned in local waterways . It’s a comprehensive explainer on the status of abandoned and derelict vessels in the state. Included in the story is the map (below) created by the state level Abandoned & Derelict Vessels Work Group based on reports from the public. Notice the number of boats on the Northern Neck. That’s more than the nonprofit Lynnhaven River NOW proposed to remove with their federal funding. (Read Public comment sought on abandoned and derelict boat removals in Westmoreland and Lancaster counties ) Lynnhaven NOW proposed removals in two locations, five vessels at Kinsale Harbor Marina on the Yeocomico River (Westmoreland County) and one vessel at Carters Cove Marina on Carters Cove, Rappahannock River (Lancaster County). Want to report a boat? Go to Inventory of Abandoned and Derelict Vessels in Virginia .

You may have seen the news from VIMS (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) in October, An “off” year for juvenile striped bass in Virginia waters for 2023 . The key takeaway: “The 2023 value [4.26] is significantly lower than the historic average of 7.77 fish per seine haul and is a notable decrease in annual recruitment compared with recent years in which catches of striped bass were rated average or above average.” The data matter: “Striped bass play an important role as a top predator in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and are a valuable resource for commercial and recreational anglers.” The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) seeks comments from the public on Draft Addendum II to Amendment 7 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass (PDF). The deadline for comments is December 22. Learn more and comment .

The Potomac River Fisheries Commission ’s Finfish Advisory Committee meets Thursday, November 16 at 6:00 pm in Colonial Beach; the meeting will also be streamed live online. The press release and agenda are on the meeting calendar page . Details about participating remotely are in the release. The agenda includes an update on the status of Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) striped bass and American eel ( Anguilla rostrata ) issues (see October 2023 status of the stocks report (PDF)); 2024 commercial and recreational season, size, and possession limits; and the discussion of a small mesh gill net study.

Don’t let the name of the org distract you: The Urban Waters Learning Network ’s Building Water Equity and Climate Resilient Communities for ALL can offer the Northern Neck a great deal. The six-part series is highlighting “a variety of strategies that community-based organizations can use to help their communities anticipate, prepare for and respond to climate risks such as flooding, coastal storms and drought, with a focus on protecting community members who are most vulnerable to climate threats.” What kinds of organizations should participate? The gamut of organizational types and interests are required to plan for, take action during, and recover from climate risks. Nonprofit organizations of all kinds—including houses of worship, service organizations, social clubs—as well as for-profit businesses, informal organizations, and neighborhood groups each have a role to play. Think those which serve/work with the oldest and the youngest those which meet basic needs such as...

History professor Heather Cox Richardson’s November 2 edition of Letters from an American compares President Biden’s appeal to rural voters to anticipated actions of House Republicans on SNAP by the end of the year. Richardson writes, In contrast to Biden’s outreach to farmers, House speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is facing a dilemma over the nation’s next farm bill, which must be passed by the end of the year. According to Clark Merrefield of The Journalist’s Resource, Congress usually debates and renews the farm bill every five years, and the last one passed in 2018. Farm bills include price support for farm products, especially corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, peanuts, dairy, and sugar. It also includes crop insurance, conservation programs, and a wide variety of other agricultural programs, making the farm bill hugely popular in rural areas that focus on farming. Also included in the measure are nutritional programs for low-income Americans, such as the Supplemental Nutr...

If you read one thing today, make it Oyster fight: The humble sea creature could hold the key to restoring coastal waters. Developers hate it. Revitalizing oyster farms and wild oyster reefs could undo decades of environmental destruction on our coasts . It’s not as though nothing is being done to use oysters to fight damage to the environment. One only has to read Northumberland County is part of world’s largest oyster habitat restoration project to get a taste of what is happening on the Northern Neck. But more can be done. More can always be done. So, talk with your friends and local elected and appointed officials. Communicate with state and federal officials. And take action. Join CCA’s reef ball building efforts (see Join in on the fun: Reef ball building in Irvington ), plant natives (read Native plants = good for flora and fauna ), and plant trees/call for more trees to be planted on the NNK (read Net loss of treed acres on NNK contributes to region and Virginia goi...