Environment

PD16 sits in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed– meaning that all water in this region drains to the Chesapeake Bay eventually. The Chesapeake Bay watershed spans more than 64,000 square miles, encompassing parts of six states—Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia—and the entire District of Columbia. More than 18 million people live in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The land-to-water ratio of the Chesapeake Bay is 14:1—the largest of any coastal water body in the world. This is why our actions on land have such a big impact on the Bay’s health.

Virginia boasts more than 5,000 miles of shorelines and the Virginia Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program works every day to protect our coastal resources and the industries and livelihoods that depend upon them.

Green infrastructure is an interconnected network of natural areas, other open spaces, and management practices that conserve natural ecosystem functions, sustain clean air, promote water quality, and provide a wide array of benefits to people and wildlife.

GWRC was awarded a Department of Forestry Grant in August of 2020 with a proposal to study the feasibility of planning a regional greenway. The purpose of this study & plan is to create a working group of key stakeholders, develop a list of prioritized potential greenway connections for future funding opportunities, present the study to the localities for buy-in to move the Greenway concept forward, and explore new funding sources in order to best fund trail connections going forward.

Hazard Mitigation is the sum of the many actions that can be taken at the local and regional level to reduce or eliminate the risk to human life and property from a variety of natural hazards, including drought, hurricanes, winter storms, and wildfires. Mitigation happens before disaster strikes, saving communities time, effort, and money as opposed to reacting only after an emergency.

Plant Central Rappahannock Natives is a marketing campaign of a coalition of non-profit, governmental, and private partners, all working to reverse the decline of native plants and wildlife in Planning District 16. GWRC oversaw the formation of this campaign, and continues to oversee campaign materials and provide staff support to the campaign steering committee.

Urban Heat Island Effect is when the temperature in an area with a high concentration of impervious surfaces such as buildings, asphalt, concrete, and dark materials is higher than the surrounding areas. These are surfaces that absorb and trap heat to re-emit throughout the day and into the night.