The Legacy of the Land

Download the invitation.

The Blue Ridge Foothills Conservancy
Firnew Farm
P.O. Box 35
Hood, VA 22973

The Blue ridge Foothills Conservancy has embarked on a multi-faceted and multi-year project we call The Legacy of the Land. The project is intended to reach the hearts and minds of citizens, landowners and visitors to our region in a new and meaningful way, and to motivate them to more actively embrace a land conservation ethic.  The core of the project is a photographic exhibit of rural properties that capture the extraordinary beauty of the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We have commissioned Virginia photographer Larry Behuneck to make a year-long photographic record of properties under conservation easement and lands targeted for conservation efforts by BRFC and other conservation groups. These areas include Parker Mountain and Snow Mountain (includes Hightop) Conservation Areas, and the South River, Conway River and Rapidan River corridors in Greene County.  Madison County Conservation Areas include the Hughes River and Rapidan River watersheds, Virginia Scenic Byway 231 and Madison Road (Rte 230) corridors and the Gaar Mountain/Ruth Road Conservation Area.

The photographs will be accompanied by poetry by local Madison poet Khalil Hassan. We hope to develop text, telling the story of “the legacy of the land” bequeathed to us by those who have lived worked and loved this land for centuries, as told though the “voices” of poets, past and present landowners, and noted conservation authors:

“Gaze upon the splendor before you;
Cast not your eyes away lest you miss a moment of divine glory.
Behold the beauty of a thousand souls
Formed by these hills and valleys as old as time.” – Khalil Hassan

At the exhibit we will also provide information to attendees on options they have for conserving their land.

The photographic exhibit will open the weekend of September 8th and 9th at the beautiful Firnew Farm owned by Trish and David Crowe.The farm has a historic house with stunning mountain views and borders the Middle River that separates Greene and Madison Counties, just off Route 230. On Friday night, September 8th, The Grand Opening Gala and Cocktail Reception will be held at 7 PM with Governor Tim Kaine as guest of honor. The next day, September 9th at 4 PM, the Conservancy will hold its annual members meeting, also at the Crowe’s farm, featuring the “Legacy of the Land” exhibit, conservation awards and accomplishments and our guest speaker, Cate Magennis Wyatt, President of the “Journey Through Hallowed Ground”. The Blue Ridge Foothills Conservancy is a partner in “Journey Through Hallowed Ground”, a public-private partnership created to raise awareness of the heritage and cultural resources in a 175 mile corridor embracing much of the Virginia Piedmont.

Subsequent to these events the current schedule for the Legacy of the Land exhibit is

• September 15, 2006:  The Exhibit will be on display at Stone Mountain Vineyard for a reception by the Greene County Chamber of Commerce.
• September 16- October 14, 2006: The Exhibit continues its’ “journey” at the historic Lafayette Inn in Stanardsville, Greene County.  The Inn will host “High Tea” for interested groups to experience the show and hear about land conservation. To arrange such a tea contact owner Alan Pyles.
• October 21 - 28, 2006:  The exhibit will be at the Madison County historic Kemper Residence on Main Street, with introductory program

Contact for The Legacy of the Land project or any related events is:

Trish Crowe
540-948-3079

The Legacy of the Land project is funded in part by a "Partnerships for Conservation" grant from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and the Virginia Environmental Endowment.