Cedar Creek watershed may get special protection

By Alex Bridges - abridges@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- Another tool may help conservationists preserve land in Frederick County.

In fact, the entire Cedar Creek watershed could come under the Virginia Outdoors Foundation's new initiative as a special projects area.

That's about 100,756 acres, according to Kelly Watkinson of the Potomac Conservancy. Watkinson talked about the special projects area program at the Frederick County Conservation Easement Authority meeting Thursday.

More than 1,600 acres already are in 12 permanent easements, Watkinson said. The watershed also includes more than 20,000 acres of federally protected land, 558 acres in state forest and 6,300 acres in agricultural and forestal districts, according to Watkinson.

Special project areas are particular geographic regions where protection through easements is especially warranted, and where the foundation expects to concentrate resources, Watkinson explained in information provided to the authority.

"I know a lot of people are looking at it," Watkinson told the panel. "So I think VOF is looking at it like, 'We either opened Pandora's box or this is going to be a good tool for them to work more efficiently or do more with their limited staff."

Members of the authority panel expressed support for seeking the designation.

"It seems to me I don't know why this organization wouldn't be behind you, so whenever you get it sort of together and have what you're going to say, I'd say bring it to us and then we'll give you a vote," said panel Chairwoman Diane Kerns, who suggested Watkinson also talk to the Board of Supervisors about the concept.

The foundation started the special projects area initiative to help address smaller parcels of land with conservation potential, according to Bob Lee, executive director of the organization's Northern Piedmont Region office in Warrenton. The foundation, with its limited resources, has focused on larger tracts sought as easements, in part to help meet conservation goals set by the current and past governors, Lee said.

The foundation's board of trustees receives nominations and votes to designate a region as a special projects area. The region's natural, scenic, historic, scientific, open-space or recreational significance, as well as landowner support, may help the land receive the designation, according to Watkinson. Interest from a land trust, conservation group, agency or local government in protecting the land also may help.

Watkinson said she's still in the early stages of shopping the foundation program to the community. Watkinson plans to meet with groups such as the Ruritan Club and others to gauge how people might feel about the program, and whether they would want the watershed designated as a special projects area.

The foundation board usually wants 60 days to review supporting documents before taking a vote, Watkinson said. Depending on how long it takes to gather input from the community and put together the necessary documents, action by the foundation could happen in February or March, she said.

Information provided to the authority board listed animals and plant life found in the Cedar Creek watershed. Some species remain "imperiled" or "critically imperiled" under state and some global lists of threatened wildlife.

The watershed serves as a source of drinking water for Winchester and the area has been identified by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation as a eligible for the Forest Legacy Program, the information notes. The watershed also contains historical, scenic and recreational values, Watkinson said.

Visit www.potomac.org or www.virginiaoutdoors
foundation.org for more information.