Note to our readers: This is part #1 of a two-part article. Part #1 deals with current Loudoun County zoning. Part #2 — that will be distributed 11/5/202 — will address the zoning rewrite process. Introduction This is a call to arms. The victories for agriculture, the environment, and the mountains that Friends of the […]
Introduction Over the past months several Happenings articles have delt with the benefits of trees for both the environment and for our human health. Trees are the major source of the oxygen we breath; absorb the carbon dioxide that is a big component of the greenhouse gases warming the climate and filter our water. Trees […]
Lawns are the single largest irrigated crop in the US. NASA led a study in 2005 that found there were approximately 63,000 square miles of turfgrass in the United States making it the nation’s largest irrigated crop by area. 63,000 square miles is about equal to the total land area of Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey combined. Good thing grass is […]
Have you found yourself spending more time walking and biking on our beautiful mountain trails, our historic unpaved roads, and our charming natural parks this spring and summer? Good for you — so have many of your neighbors. That is the good news. The bad news is that the increased activity has resulted in more […]
FBRM Invitation to our Readers The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second-best time is now. Taking these words to heart, Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains — working with The Nature Conservancy VA – is planting 600 longleaf pines to help restore Virginia’s “Founding Forest.” We invite you to join us; FBRM will […]
This fall you are going to be able to tell Loudoun County exactly what features you would like. For years Loudoun County residents have been talking about a network of trails and linear parks throughout the entire county. As early as September 1994 the County Board of Supervisors formally adopted County Greenways and Trails Policies. […]
For several years, Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains has been warning our members about the impact of the Rockwool facility in Ranson, West Virginia. We have now joined with Jefferson County Vision and several other community and conservation groups in sending a letter to the Ranson City Council urging them to reject a zoning […]
The State Arboretum of Virginia names sassafras the 2020 Tree of the Year. Sassafras is a fast-growing tree that is native to the eastern U.S. and available from local nurseries. Their leaves display striking autumn colors, ranging from yellow to orange to red. And how many trees have three different leaf shapes sometimes on the […]