Valley Conservation Council just celebrated its 25th anniversary. We have you, our partners, members, volunteers, and funders to thank for our successes: securing protection for thousands of acres of land that provide food, habitat, water quality, history and sense of place for Valley residents and our visitors.

However, the pressures on our beloved rural communities remain. The loss of farm and forest to development is forecast to accelerate over the next 10 years. The economic recession put the brakes on development pressure in our region. That slowdown is ending and it is the next economic cycle that will determine the fate of our Valley region. Will it succumb to urban sprawl or will it stay magnificent rural landscapes dotted with vibrant and historic cities, towns, and villages?

VCC’s mission is to promote land use that sustains the farms, forests, open space, and cultural heritage of the Shenandoah Valley Region. From the headwaters of the Shenandoah to the Alleghany Highlands and the Upper James this is one of the most beautiful and economically viable places in the nation. Our region’s natural assets – our mountains, our forests, our rivers and streams, our skies (especially at night), our wildlife and our historical landmarks - share a common denominator: open space. When farms are broken up or

subdivided, not only are viewsheds changed forever but opportunity is lost for clean water, clean air, intact ecosystems, food security, and rural livelihood. The long-term costs of ever expanding the footprint of development far exceed short-term profits. VCC measures its success by the amount of land kept open and undeveloped.

We know our focus: protecting the Natural Resources, Cultural Heritage, and Agricultural Vitality of our region.

To step up to the challenges, VCC is reinvesting in its core competencies:

• being the region’s premier land trust

• helping landowners, the stewards of private lands, keep their landholdings intact

• partnering with community leaders, both county and city, to make the best-informed choices for guiding development

During the coming year VCC will introduce a new easement template designed for use by working farmers. Our goal is to make easements a more attractive option to the agricultural community and help protect working farm and forest land from development.

Further we will identify focus areas in our region and then design comprehensive strategies that enhance

and protect each of those areas. We will strive to bring existing and new programs together, partner with local organizations and deliver workshops that help landowners in those areas understand and choose conservation options for themselves.

Finally, we will continue to partner with local communities, helping policy makers find ways for our communities to grow without sacrificing their inherent natural and historic assets.

VCC must grow its programs and capacity. Your ongoing support is vital. We welcome hearing your concerns and ideas. If you can recruit friends and colleagues to support VCC, please do. The Board is asking the VCC staff to do a lot this year. They will need all of us to help. Thank you for believing in VCC and joining us in this mission to conserve the natural and cultural assets of our Valley.

Butch SnowChairmanValley Conservation Council Board of Directors

Chairman’s Letter

2 0 1 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T

Below. Intensive farms like these near Dayton make the Shenandoah Valley one of the nation’s most important agricultural regions.

valleyconservation.org

17 Barristers RowStaunton, VA 24401-4225

540.886.3541info@valleyconservation.org

valleyconservation.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORSWilliam “Butch” Snow

CHAIRMAN

Karen HembreeTRE ASURER

Laurie Berman

Mark Botkin

Kevin Craun

Abbie Cutter

James Flory

John Gibson

Ryan Hodges

Bill Jones

Anna Lawson

Beverly S. “Cheri” Moran

Bill Noack

STAFFBrenda Mead

E XECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Sara HollbergPROGR AMS MANAGER

Genevieve GossUPPER JAMES PROGR AM MANAGER

“Having diverse, interested stakeholders at the table enabled us to brainstorm the

importance of protecting working farms.” — Buff Showalter, Farmer and Conservation Easement Donor

Improving Land Conservation Tools for Productive Farm Areas Current land conservation tools do not always match well with the needs of the full-time farmers that are the backbone of the region’s agricultural heartland. VCC’s Agricultural Tools Summit in December brought expertise and energy toward finding solutions.

As part of our initiative to partner with the agricultural community on the shared goals of land conservation and agricultural vitality, it capped a busy season of farmer meetings and programs. VCC also reached out to Century Farms, young farmers, “ag district” participants, and families wanting to transition the farm to the next generation.

In VCC’s 25th year, we engaged more than 1,600 people in nearly 40 events to enhance appreciation for the irreplaceable natural and cultural resources of the greater Shenandoah Valley region.

ActionHighlights

2015

A N N U A L R E P O R T

2

VALLEY GUARDIANS$5,000 and aboveFred and Christine AndreaeBarbara H. GrantGrant and Jo GriswoldBill and Lisa MooreGeorge Ohrstrom, IIWilliam Snow and

Melody TennantThe Cedars Foundation

VALLEY STEWARDS$1,000 to $4,999The William F. and Karin

M. Banks FoundationLaurie BermanMark BotkinStewart and Lissy BryanBrooks Lucas CushmanFetzer InstituteJames and Yvonne FloryJohn and Marjie GibsonRyan and Mary HodgesLaurie J. LandeauMartin and Linda LightseyThomas LockhartMillerCoorsBob and Liz SchreiberSarah SherwoodSprint FoundationUnion Bank and TrustBobby Whitescarver and

Jeanne Hoffman

VALLEY SETTLERS$500 to $999The Boeing Company Jim and Toni BrownChesapeake Bay FoundationPeter and Faye

Crawford CooperBowman and Abbie CutterDownriver Canoe Co.First BankKent and Ellen FordDavid and Cindy FullerGeorge R. and Evelyn W.

Brothers Charitable Trust Karen HembreeTodd HochreinJim and Pam HugginsLee Elliott and Bill JonesTom and Anna LawsonLisa Hawkins, Lenhart PettitThe Hon. and Mrs.

Everett Martin

Brenda and Robert MeadLewis and Gayle MoorePhil and Cheri MoranMatthew MorganMyers and Woods

Appraisal GroupDorothy Duval NelsonWilliam H. NoackPiedmont Environmental

CouncilSteve and Julie PlumbleyAngelo PuglisiDon and Judi RaceH. Bruce Rinker, Ph.D.Renaissance Stone Masonry Rockingham Bird ClubJim and Celia RuttShenandoah Valley

Battlefields FoundationShenandoah Valley NetworkThe Family of Jane

S. ShieldsSouthern States Cooperative “You Can’t Take it With

You Fund” of The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg & Rockingham County

The Westchester FoundationVirginia Hot Springs RealtyDan WachspressGreg and Valerie WeaverWhitescarver Natural

Resources Management

VALLEY PIONEERS$100 to $499Eleanor AdamsSharon AngleAugusta Garden ClubMarge Maust and

Sandy BahrBill Veno and Aubyn

BarstromKristopher BaumannBeau and Resa BeasleyKathy Belcher and Joe

Thompson, Jr.Don and Juliana BennerJoan and David BerensonBlack Bear ProductionsBill BlakeyThe Blue Ridge Garden ClubRalph and Chris BolgianoJoseph Borzelleca, Jr.

and Ellen Brock

Susan R. BowenKen and Diana BrasfieldStanley BrightJudy BurtnerPatricia Lee Botkin ChawkatBarry and Isabelle ChewningRick ChittumPhil ClaytonStuart and Emily CochranTaylor and Lois ColeRichard and Jan ColemanPhil and Beverly ColtraneJim and Lucinda CookeRandy and Mary CovingtonRay and Brigitte CowanEddie Bumbaugh

and Jane CoxBen CraigKevin and Patti CraunMac CrawfordCandace CrosbyPeter DalkeDessouky and Caroline

DessoukyBruce and Olimpia DorriesErnie EcholsBob EgglestonPhil and Sandra EhrenkranzEugenia Anderson-Ellis

and Howard EllisWalter and Marynell EylesEric and Cheryl FauerbachBeverly and William

FaulkenberryPhyllis and Fred FevrierFirst BankTed Jordan and Dana

FlandersWalter FloraCarolyn FordW. T. Francisco, Jr.Stuart GalvinDaniel M. and Virginia

B. GanoGE FoundationBernard L. Griswold and

Mary L GessnerCliff and Betty GilchrestKevin and Lisa GiovanettiGlenmore FoundationJohn and Genevieve GossKen Keller and Susan

Blair GreenJoe and Sandy GreeneHelen GrovesWilliam John Hall

Steve and Ann-Marie Hamblin

Arthur HamiltonHarriet HangerElliott and Terrell HarriganGregory Faust and

Paulyn HeinmillerCleve and Rae HickmanMark and Sara HollbergJennet Inglis and Mari SelbyMartha T. IrvinPaul Kazarov and

Barbara WhippleArthur and Diane KearnsLeslie and Carol KippKurt and Amparo KunzeJim and Trish LaGruaJames D. Lawrence, Jr.

and Sue SimmondsMr. and Mrs. J.A. LaymanRobert and Ann LesmanGraham and Rusty LillyNick and Linda MacNeilLarry and Ellen MartinShirley MastersBill McCourtJoe and Liz McCueNancy McDanielEdward T. McMahonGee and Mary Ellen McVeyHolt and Becky MerchantDave and Debbie MetzHugh and Stella MillerJohn and Maggie MillerJohn and Kathryn MirabellaJerome and Susan MoniotTony and Ann MorseGrigg and Cindy MullenNorthern Shenandoah Valley

Regional CommissionBob and Mary Beirne NuttSusan Wilson and

Bernard OdaszPaul and Marlene OttoBarton PakullTom and Sally ParsonsDave Perry-MillerJonathan Monroe and

Andrea PesceDwight and Jewell PhelpsDavid and Jordan PhemisterJim and Carol PhemisterEd PickettBill and Betsy PollardGreg and Becky PorterFred and Bonnie Powell

Joe and Linda PowersDavid and Karen PughGerald and Nancy PyleQuality Inspection ServiceRobert Bass and

Moira RaffertyPhil Hyre and Daphne RazBabette Thorpe and

John RiceEnos RichardsonHarry B. and Ruth D. RinkerKay RodriguezJohn and Sally RogersRalph and Shirley RuedyBill SaxmanRussell ShayR. Tucker ShieldsRick and Sue ShifletRoller and Jerry

Lynn ShipplettShreckhise Landscape

and DesignJohn and Anne SillsDavid SmailJamie and Alison SmallBob Biersack and Jan SmithCol. Hugh B. Sproul, IIISteve Grande and A.

Renee StatonTimothy and Ruth

Stoltzfus JostJohn SweetDaniel SwiftGabe and Jill TempletonRay and Rosemary ThomasJohn and Linda ThorntonPat TichenorWayt and Mary TimberlakeBill TrenaryJudith R. TrumboRon and Ann TurnickyVirginia Department

of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Wick and Betty VellinesJohn & Julie WalkerHarry and Sis WarnerHugh and Connie WestfallPamela WiegandtBruce and Jane WigginsDot WilliamsRobin and Linda WilliamsMichael Pelton and

Tamra L. WillisBill and Lang WilsonJim and Georgie Young

We extend our sincere gratitude to the corporations, foundations, government agencies, and individuals listed below for their generous support in 2015.

A N N U A L R E P O R T

VALLEY EXPLORERSUp to $99A. K. Smiley Public LibraryHal AaslestadJohn and Barbara AdamsonPeter and Betsy AgelastoDave and Patty ArnoldLouis Dolive and Ruth ArnoldTom and Claudette ArtwickSherry ArtzAugusta Bird ClubBob and Amanda AveryPete BarlowPhil and Karis BarryCharles and Patricia BlackleyWilliam E. Bobbitt, Jr.William BowmanMarguerite BradfordBrae & Beck Garden ClubEmily BranscomeBarbara BrothersChris Harman and Joi BrownMadison and Katharine

BrownRobbie BrownMark and Dottie BrunsTed and Ellen ButchartDebbie CaldwellMalcolm and Lynn CameronBill and Rhonda CampbellEverett B. and Dana

Porter CarsonMatt and Linda CauleyMarsden and Bobbie

ChampaignCharles and Pat ChurchmanSarah ClaytonMary Hill ColeJoan ComanorCommunity Foundation -

Richmond and Central VARobert and Dorothy ConnellyPhilip Coulling and

Sandra HaysletteGeorge A. Coyner, IIHarry and Beverley CrosbyPolly CushmanAl and Avis DahlerMargaret C. DavisBill and Shirley DayCarl DehneJim and Elaine EcholsDon and Mary FaulknerDon FelicianoDenis FinneganBill and Gloria FlournoyRich Harris and Karen FordAnne FraserVeronica FreemanKay D. FryeMarney GibbsMary Stuart GilliamThomas Gilmore

Warren D. GolightlyBud and Pattie GoodEvelyn GrauCarter GreenJoanne HappJoe and Evy HarmanDavid and Katherine

HendersonPaul Borzelleca and

Maria HobsonRichard and Linda HolmanNelson Hoy and Lizzie BiggsCurtis and Carolyn HumphrisCharles and Mary HuppuchJohn and Nancy IrvineSally JamesRoger and Sylvia JeansGenevieve JohnsonJulie and Jay JonesGary and Dreama

KattenbrakerTimothy KeeferGeorge and Louise KegleyMaureen K. KellyAbbe KennedyDiane KentJane KerewichH. E. and Kathleen KingLarry and Diane KorteJoachim and Gisela KruegerRick and Laurie LandesJohn and Bizzy LaneEric and Susan LaserJoe and Kaye LehnenCarole Lewis AndersonLinda R. LivickCarolyn and Larry LongRod and Karen LorenceJoyce Loving and Lloyd PollittCyane B. LowdenMichael Anne LynnMaddie MacNeilDouglas MarechalMichael and Jane MarshSaundra Vigilante MartisJerry McCarthyBecky McGovernAnn D. McMillanLaura McMillanLee MerrillRichard and Jean MillerLouise P. MooreCarol MorencyKatherine MorganBrandon Collins and

Judy MosedaleDavid Rissmeyer and

Mary MurrayJim and Bess MurrayAngel and Beth NegronAnne W. NielsenRoss and Muffie NewellMike and Diana NorrisBonnie J. Painter

Reese Bull and Pamela Patrick

Matthew and Mary Raine Paxton

John and Mollie PayneDave and Sandra PetersKary and Ron PhillipsBob PingryFred and Kim PowellDavid PrideAnna L. PullinHoward and June RatcliffeBetty RedmondRobin Cage PotteryRockbridge Area

Conservation CouncilRichard W. RollerKevin Sullivan & Jeanne

RoslanowickShep and Jane RouseBob and Missy RuthAl and Phyllis SaufleyChris and Michele SaxmanPeter Sellar and Laurie

GundersenEric and Elise SheffieldDavid and Barbara ShueHenry SimpsonAlexia SmithRandy and Nancy SorrellsWilliam and Natalie SowersPetra StankardJack Barchas and

Rosemary StevensNancy StonerRobert N. SuterJane and William TalbottLeo and Judy TammiGeorge and Carol TaylorBetty TeagueLaura ThurmanAnne TillerMary VermeulenBen and Carol WeddleAnn WeilandKaren WillisBetsy WittMarjorie WoodyLaura Yordy and Eric ThiesTim YoumansNatalie Zuckerman

CONTRIBUTIONS IN HONOR OR MEMORY OFFaye Crawford Cooper

Legacy FundThe Boeing Company Mac Crawford Fetzer Institute Joe and Evy HarmanSara Nair JamesThe Family of Jane S. Shields John and Julie WalkerBen and Carol Weddle

In Honor of Catharine Gilliam and Wood Burns on their marriage

Candace Carter CrosbyIn Honor of Judi RaceJohn and Linda ThorntonIn Memory of Chuck

AuckermanMarjorie WoodsIn Memory of John

L. MorganMatt MorganIn Memory of Hallie SeibelJohn and Genevieve GossIn Memory of Vic Thomas,Sr.Genevieve Thomas JohnsonIn Memory of Rex

M. WightmanOscar Beasley

IN-KIND DONORSPat and Chuck BlackleyFred Blanton and Bob BarronFaye and Peter CooperDidawick & Company PCThe Downstream ProjectGeorge Washington Hotel Genevieve Goss Sara HollbergMiddlebrook General StoreMoore Public Relations LLCMorgan-Miles Picture FramesNatural Bridge HotelOmni Homestead ResortSkyland ResortStonewall Jackson HotelH. Bruce Rinker, Ph.D.

A N N U A L R E P O R T

VCC is extremely grateful for the partnership and support of the following organizations:

Agua FoundationThe Alleghany FoundationAugusta Bird ClubCatawba Sustainability

CenterChesapeake Bay FoundationChesapeake ConservancyCowpasture River

Preservation AssociationFriends of the Middle River Headwaters Master

NaturalistsJackson River Preservation

AssociationJames River AssociationKeith Campbell FoundationLewis Creek Watershed

Advisory CommitteeNational Geographic Oak Hill Foundation

Pure Water ForumRoanoke Valley Master

NaturalistsRockbridge Area

Conservation Council Virginia Department of

Environmental Quality Virginia Department of

Forestry Virginia Department of Game

and Inland Fisheries Virginia Cooperative

ExtensionVirginia Office of Farmland

PreservationHeadwaters, Mountain

Castles, Mountain, and Natural Bridge Soil and Water Conservation Districts

The following local artists contributed the many beautiful works that made our 2015 Annual Meeting Silent Auction a tremendous success:Danny MulvenaKim and Shay ClantonDebra ShefferScott JostChris AndersonChristine AndreaeJosef BeeryDebbie CaldwellRichard Crozier

Gray DodsonStephen DohertyJoanne HappJanly JaggardSharon KincheloeEugene SmithAlison ThomasAudrey Watson

39%

Programs

56%

G&A

5%

Fundraising

Expenses

39%

Foundations

2%

Bequests

3%

Corporations

56%

Individuals

Supportand

Revenue

FinancialOverview

In 2015 VCC raised over $300,000 to support our operations. While individual philanthropy remained flat compared to 2014, we continued to receive the strong support of private foundations, and saw growth in corporate support. Our General and Administrative expenses trended up in 2015 due to the one-time expenses associated with rebranding and web site enhancements. The financial results depicted are based on VCC’s unaudited internal statements as of 12/31/2015.

2015

Bringing Families to NatureKites and Critters, April 26, in Staunton: a rainy day, 150 attendees, 10 partner organizations, countless close encounters with little critters, and three conservation tours, all at one amazing farm in an agricultural and forestal district in the city.

Making Water Protection PermanentKen and Diane Brasfield’s conservation easement commits to permanent forest buffers around six springs and three spring creeks at the headwaters of the Middle River in Augusta County. VCC’s “Land and Water Connections” project seeks conservation easements that also protect water quality.

A N N U A L R E P O R T

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Welcoming VCC’s New Director In February, VCC welcomed Brenda Mead as Interim Executive Director. Brenda knows VCC well. Our 2015 Volunteer of the Year, she has been active in VCC for years. Brenda brings the skills and accomplishments of a 40-year career in finance, business, leadership, and fundraising. She and her family moved

to Staunton in 2009 after she retired from her role as Virginia statewide Executive for Bank of America’s wealth management group. A lifelong gardener, Brenda became a Master Gardener in 2010 and has spent six years creating a landscape at her

Staunton home based on Virginia native and edible plants. One of 50 grandchildren of a Minnesota farmer, she counts agriculture an important part of her heritage.

Brenda will have experienced staff alongside. Sara Hollberg, as Programs Manager, coordinates all of VCC’s programs. Upper James Program Manager Genevieve Goss has long represented VCC in Rockbridge, Botetourt, Alleghany, and Bath counties. Faye Cooper is serving as a consultant for conservation easement outreach. Ben Craig likewise continues as a coordinator with the Upper Middle River project. Come by and see us!

17 BARRISTERS ROW n STAUNTON, VA 24401-4225

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDHARRISONBURG, VA

PERMIT NO. 75

Goodbyes and Best WishesBruce Rinker resigned in January. VCC is grateful to Bruce for his contributions as Executive Director over the past 18 months. His enthusiasm was contagious and without his leadership we would not have recognized the necessity to reinvest in our core mission.

Sheryl Van Gundy, VCC’s dedicated Office Manager, retired at the end of February to pursue other adventures. Please join us in wishing her the best.

Special Thanks to VCC’s 2015 Volunteers!Many thanks to the over 100 people who gave their time and talent to VCC to make Kites and Critters, the Dark Sky Summit, our Silver Anniversary Annual Meeting and other events a huge success.

Volunteer Barbara Brothers

Thank you to our hard-working VCC staffAs we look back on 2015 and forward to 2016, we want to recognize the contributions by VCC staff. This year end brought comings and goings within the VCC office, but also a continuity with the long tradition of extraordinary commitment to the

VCC mission. We take this time at the end of VCC’s first quarter century to salute all VCC employees, past and present. 4