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The 2022 Governors Environmental Excellence Awards have recently announced that the Upper Rappahannock River Water Trail was one of the Gold Medal winners.
The trail, which was created the first public access to the Rappahannock River in Fauquier county, includes three new canoe and kayak launch as a result of a multiyear collaboration between Piedmont Environmental Council, Friends of the Rappahannock River and John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District.
Friends states that water access along Scenic River is at Riverside Preserve (Rector Tract) and Rogers Ford.
In addition, the project created the first-ever MOU with a local government as well as the Virginia Dept. Wildlife Resources to share management of access sites to maximize results. riverfriends.org.
Friends of the Rappahannock says that Fauquier County would not have been able to create public access without the generosity and collaboration of many stakeholders.
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Charles McDonald, landowner donated 196 acres and created Riverside Preserve. Rector Tract was donated to the public by American Battlefield Trust. The properties are currently under permanent conservation easements through Virginia Outdoors Foundation. C.F. Rogers Ford access point is located in the Phelps Wildlife Management Area. Friends says the project was possible thanks to multiple grants from the PATH Foundation. Northern Piedmont Community Foundation and Virginia Environmental Endowment.
Youngkin recognized 13Environmental excellence awardwinners and 2 honorable mentions March 29, at the Environment Virginia Symposium, Virginia Military Institute, for innovative projects that improve Virginias environmental conditions.
An office release stated that the winners included representatives from industry, higher learning, government, state, local and federal agencies that successfully implemented projects that had a significant positive impact on the environment.
Youngkin stated that Virginia is proud to have problem solvers in the private sector. He also expressed pride in what the future holds.
Other Gold Medal winners were: Catawba HospitalGreening of Government and City of Harrisonburg Department of Public WorksHarrisonburg Urban Forestry Program, Coastal Virginia Ecotourism AllianceVirginia Water Trail, George Mason UniversityMason Sustainability Council’s Circular Economics & Zero Waste Taskforce and University of VirginiaWasteminimization
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