http://www.valleyconservation.org/

James Madison University - Index

James Madison University - Madison Magazine - Summer 2009 - Index

“VCC is very active in educating landowners
about all options for conserving
and restoring their properties,” says
Eckman. One choice is placing land in a
conservation easement, with a landowner
retaining ownership but conveying certain
rights to a qualified land trust, government
or agency. A typical easement,
negotiated with the landowner, restricts
development that would impinge upon
the land’s beauty or natural resources,
but allows farming, hunting and timbering.
Landowners can take advantage
of Virginia’s generous tax incentives for
land conservation.
In June 2008, at the annual conference
of Virginia land trusts — hosted by VCC
— Gov. Tim Kaine reiterated his goal of
setting aside 400,000 more open-space
acres by 2010. By spring 2009, there
were nearly 330,000, thanks to help from
VCC and many groups around the state.
With its partner agencies, the Valley
Conservation Council’s efforts have
helped landowners conserve hundreds
of farms, mountain forests and historic
lands in the region, including several
unique properties along waterways.
Limiting development is a first step, but
restoring natural functions of the region’s
green infrastructure is the ultimate goal.
VCC’s easement in Purcell Park, just
south of the JMU campus, will protect
the restoration of natural bends in a section
of Blacks Run. Another urban easement
protects the human health and the
environment at a Superfund site being
cleaned up in Front Royal.
Anyone who returns to Harrisonburg
after a few years away knows the area is
still growing fast, says Eckman. VCC
takes a proactive approach to facing new
development. “We know people are moving
to the area,” he adds. “We will continue
to grow, and that’s not necessarily
a bad thing. Where that growth happens
and the design it takes will make a huge
difference in the quality of life for people
in the valley.”
To encourage smarter growth, VCC
annually recognizes significant development
projects in the region with its Better
Models for Development Awards by
highlighting sensible projects that protect
natural or historic resources while
still accommodating new growth. Many
projects in downtown Harrisonburg have
won awards for reusing historic buildings
in new and novel ways, bringing more
people into the core of the community.
‘VCC is very active in
educating landowners
about all options for
conserving and restoring
their properties.’
JOHN ECKMAN (’82)
Valley Conservation Council executive director
VCC has been able to draw personnel
from Harrisonburg as well, enjoying
a surprising run of JMU graduates
in the last two years. “All of us arrived
from very different experiences,” Eckman
points out. “It’s good to see JMU grads
feeling so connected to this place.”
An English and political science doublemajor,
Eckman earned a master’s in environment
and community at Antioch
University. Prior to VCC he taught earth
science, helped run The Little Grill restaurant,
and worked for 10 years at The
Mountain Institute, an international conservation
organization.
An environmental policy major at
North Carolina’s Warren Wilson College,
Jill Templeton earned her master’s
in public administration at JMU after
several years of working in nonprofit
organizations. She also gained research
experience through her fellowship
with JMU’s Institute for Infrastructure
and Information Assurance.
VCC’s summer 2008 intern Corbin
Davis (’07) watched changes both in Harrisonburg
and his hometown, Staunton,
where VCC is housed on historic Barristers
Row. The ISAT and geographic sciences
major is completing a master’s in
urban and environmental planning at the
University of Virginia.
Kim Tinkham (’01), a native of Rockingham
County, worked with VCC and
continues her interest in education and
history in the area. She is thrilled to be
raising her children in such a “beautiful
place. If you love a place, you want to
stay there and care for it,” she says.
What’s it like to grow up in the valley
and watch urban sprawl emerge over a lifetime?
“I’m not going to cry over what has
already happened,” Eckman notes. “While
it is frustrating to see the loss of great
farmland, we still have much to cherish in
this region. Wherever you choose to live,
we all need to make sure we leave a legacy
for future generations.”
M
✱ Learn more at www.valleyconservation.org
Q&A
called Dashboard in The Village’s nine residence
halls. Students can see their electricity
and water consumption in real-time.
These metered systems show tangible and
immediate feedback on how we are impacting
our planet and our pocketbooks. Students
are learning that little changes can
have a large impact. [See Page 31]
THOMAS: During our first Village Green
Wars, we posted little reminders like “Take
shorter showers” in the shower stalls and
“Turn me off when done” above the sinks.
We noticed huge savings. One of my favorite
events was the No Drive Day to encourage
the use of alternative transportation. Everyone
was very excited to take the bus or carpool
or walk, and not only to do that, but to
tell their friends that they did. It was a source
of pride. Our first year we had a 14 percent
increase in bus ridership.
HARTMAN: We’re really seeing some benefits
of No Drive Day in combination with general
awareness of the environmental stewardship
movement as well as the fuel price fluctuations.
Right now about half of our student
body uses alternative transportation, taking
the bus, bicycling or walking to campus. We’re
seeing a 21 percent increase over the last few
years in overall ridership every day.
BOLGIANO: And JMU has been a pioneer in
using alternative fuels in its vehicles, hasn’t it?
HARTMAN: I was fortunate to come here
when Cally Oglesby, a visiting scholar, was
exploring biodiesel. She and four students,
known as the Biodiesel Boys, were working
with facilities management making their
own biodiesel in a homemade reactor and
running it in a modified engine, a process
not well known at the time. Cally convinced
JMU to adopt commercial biodiesel because
the experiments in the lab had been so successful.
I was co-director of the Alternative
Fuels Program for several years and had the
opportunity to work with Harrisonburg, Roanoke
and other areas that ended up adopting
biodiesel. Our Alternative Fuels Program
collaborated with Virginia Tech to disseminate
our experience via an extension paper,
and we did a series of workshops around
the state. In Harrisonburg and on campus
we run a blend of up to 20 percent biodiesel,
known as B-20. There is a significant difference
in emissions coming out of the tailpipe.
Building and grounds folks who are exposed
to the emissions say they feel the improved
health effects. [See Page 32]
BOLGIANO: One of the main goals of
reducing energy use is reducing greenhouse
gas emissions linked to climate change.
President Rose is a signatory to the American
College and University Presidents
Climate Commitment, which has very specific
goals and timetables. Where does the
institute fit into that commitment?
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SUMMER 2009
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