Inspiring Conservation: PEC's Annual Gathering at Longwood Farm

The Annual Gathering is one of The Piedmont Environmental Council's flagship events of the year — a day to connect with others who care deeply about the future of our region and to reflect on the cumulative impact of our shared conservation efforts. It’s an opportunity to remind ourselves why our collective work — protecting the places we love and building better communities together — matters. Our keynote speaker invites you to view today’s challenges through a wider lens, while our workshops lead by on-the-ground staff aim to educate and empower and our community lunch provides a chance to meet like-minded people. Whether you’re a longtime supporter or new to PEC, we hope you’ll join us for an inspiring day.

Each year, we move the event to a different part of our nine-county service area. These locations bring our conservation and land-use work to life, showcasing examples and resources we’re working together to celebrate and protect.

We are delighted to announce keynote speaker Marion Werkheiser, a leading international voice in the protection of shared history and landscapes. She has successfully advocated for changes to state and federal laws to preserve Indigenous and African American heritage while negotiating agreements to ensure large infrastructure projects give back to the local communities they impact.

This year, we are gathering at Longwood Farm, a 774-acre historic property in the Cedar Run and Potomac River watersheds near the villages of Auburn and Casanova. This working farm is a powerful example of how the intersection of conservation and thoughtful land stewardship can support agriculture and biodiversity in ways that celebrate our region’s cultural and historical landscapes.

Longwood's owners, who teamed up to create Cedar Run Conservation LLC to buy and protect the property, have a vision to protect the land's diverse natural and agricultural resources while ensuring it remains a productive working farm. With its sweeping views, over a mile and a half of vital stream corridors, and significant footprint within the Auburn Battlefield Historic District, the property showcases the natural beauty of the Virginia Piedmont while serving as a critical buffer against the fragmentation and development pressure facing Fauquier County.

Throughout the day, we will address how to conserve and restore more of the region’s lands in the face of mounting industrial pressure. Our sessions will also focus on protecting what has already been conserved and minimizing the impact of new data centers and energy infrastructure, while providing mitigation that helps achieve community and conservation goals.

The day will begin with a welcome from PEC President Chris Miller, followed by Werkheiser’s keynote address. After a community lunch, you'll have the opportunity to participate in one of four workshop sessions exploring different aspects of conservation work in our region.

Marion Werkheiser is an award-winning lawyer and internationally recognized trailblazer in the cultural heritage field. As the co-founder and chief executive of Cultural Heritage Partners, Marion has spent her career at the intersection of law, preservation, and community advocacy. She is widely recognized for her ability to navigate complex legal frameworks to ensure that development respects the cultural and historical integrity of the land.

Whether advising tribal nations or local grassroots organizations, Marion brings a sharp legal mind and a passionate heart to the fight for preservation. You’ll leave her talk with a deeper understanding of how we can leverage the law to protect the Piedmont region’s irreplaceable natural and cultural resources against the mounting pressure of industrial development.

A choice of four workshops, beginning after lunch and running simultaneously, so please choose the one you'd like to attend when you register to help us plan accordingly. There is some flexibility to change your mind on the day of the event.

Mike Kane, Director of Land Conservation
Keely Murphy, Conservation Field Representative for the Potomac Watershed

Join PEC’s conservation team, Longwood’s owners and experts from Davey Mitigation to learn about the history of Longwood and the efforts to protect and enhance the property. Learn about work with Fauquier County’s Purchase of Development Rights program and the mitigation bank to restore wetland along Cedar Run.

Michael Barber, Senior Energy Infrastructure Policy Analyst
Julie Bolthouse, Director of Land Use

This workshop will examine the intensifying strain data centers are having on Virginia’s power grid and the resulting impact of proposed transmission lines and power generation facilities on communities throughout the region.

Don McCown, Land Use Field Representative, Orange & Madison Counties
Kristie Kendall, Historic Preservation Consultant

This session will explore how the designation of a historic district instills a deeper appreciation of an area’s history and landscape, and motivates long-term protection of cultural and natural resources.

You’ll learn about the numerous benefits of historic districts, including their role in land conservation, how they support low-impact economic development that complements agriculture, and importantly, how they can be a check against the impacts of industrial development. PEC has a long history of working with residents to create historic districts, and in this session we will share what we’ve learned, and we’ll update you on our latest effort, the 40,000-acre Rapidan River-Clark Mountain Rural Historic District.

Kim Biasiolli, Conservation Program Manager, Albemarle & Greene Counties
Bryn Sonnett, Rappahannock-Rapidan Conservation Program Manager

Most landowners know that planning for the future of their land or farm is vital, yet the legal, financial and family considerations can be overwhelming. Through American Farmland Trust’s Land Transfer Navigators Program, PEC staff have been learning more about how we can help support landowners navigate land transfer and succession, including how conservation can be an essential tool to support the process.

In this workshop, we’ll explore some of the challenges around land transfer; basic tools and strategies for keeping rural land intact and in the family; and hear real-world stories about landowners who have successfully navigated the process and transferred their land to the next generation.

10:00 a.m. | Gates Open. Check-in / Meet & Greet

10:30 a.m. | Welcome & PEC Update by President Chris Miller

11 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Keynote by Marion Werkheiser

12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. | Community Lunch (optional)

1 - 2 p.m. | Choice of One of Four Workshops (optional)

1 | A Walking Tour of Conservation at Longwood Farm

2| The Energy Infrastructure Impacts of Virginia’s Data Center Boom

3| Legacy & Landscapes: The Power of Historic Districts

4 | What's Next for Your Land? Navigating Land Transfer & Succession

2:00 p.m. | Event Ends

Keely Murphy – Conservation Field Representative for the Potomac Watershed
Keely got her professional start in land conservation in Colorado where she worked for Colorado Open Lands as a Conservation Fellow. Prior to living in Colorado, she spent 10 years studying and working in Washington D.C.

Keely grew up with a love for the environment. But her time backpacking in Yellowstone National Park and canoeing in the Boundary Waters Wilderness especially ingrained the importance of protecting unique landscapes. Her interest in agriculture was developed during a literature class about food in America and she knew she wanted to tie her love of nature and interest in agriculture into a career.

Keely has a M.S. in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. in International Studies from American University.

Mike Kane – Director of Conservation

Michael Kane has more than 15 years of land conservation experience in the Mid-Atlantic region. In the late 1990s, Mike created the Bucks County (PA) Municipal Open Space Program and the Bucks County Natural Areas Program, two county-wide initiatives that successfully partnered with state and local governments and non-profit land trusts to identify and preserve productive farmland, critical natural habitats, and expand the amount of parkland in the county.

More recently, Mike directed the start-up of the Loudoun County (VA) Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) Program. The PDR Program protected through conservation easements over 2,400 acres of Loudoun’s nationally recognized historic and scenic landscape between 2001 and 2004, including nearly 1,000 acres of natural areas and historic sites in the county that are now open for to the public to see, visit, and experience.

Prior to becoming PEC’s director of conservation, Mike served as a land conservation officer in Loudoun and Fauquier counties, where he worked with landowners, conservation organizations, and public officials to protect–primarily through conservation easements–critical land and resources in the region.

In addition to conservation work, Mike’s background also includes experience as an urban planner, fiscal and economic development consultant, as well as work at a nonprofit community loan fund. Mike received a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Johns University, located in Collegeville, Minnesota and a Masters of Planning from the University of Minnesota’s Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

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Michael Barber – Senior Energy Infrastructure Policy AnalystMichael joined the PEC team in 2026. He graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center for Environmental Studies, where he interned with the University Sustainability Office and helped track energy, waste and emissions data.

He has supported environmental reviews for FEMA’s Public Assistance Program across multiple states and worked as a planner for Virginia DCR’s Floodplains Office. Most recently he managed NEPA reviews for electric infrastructure projects on a contract with USDA’s Rural Utilities Service.

Julie Bolthouse – Director of Land UseJulie grew up in Fairfax, Loudoun, and Clarke counties. After graduating from Clarke County High School she attended Virginia Tech receiving a B.S. in Fisheries Science with a minor in Watershed Management. Moving back to Loudoun with her husband, Evan, she went back to school to get her Masters in Urban and Regional Planning and a second Masters degree in Natural Resources.

While studying for her bachelor’s she interned with the Student Conservation Association in Shenandoah National Park, Center for Aquatic Technology Transfer in the Jefferson National Forest, Friends of the Rockfish River in the James River watershed, and then worked full time for the Department of Wildlife Resources in southwest Virginia. After moving to Loudoun she interned with Rappahannock Rapidan Regional Commission for a year and led a Safe Routes to School modeling project with the City of Alexandria’s GIS Division.

Don McCown – Land Use Field Representative Orange & Madison counties

Don McCown joined PEC in 2022 and covers land use and transportation issues in Orange and Madison counties.

Prior to joining PEC, he served for over 20 years in a variety of community service roles, including as a supervisor in Virginia’s magistrate system and as AmeriCorps program director for Habitat for Humanity of North Carolina. Originally from West Texas, Don and his family have lived in the Piedmont for over 15 years. Don received his B.A. in sociology from the University of Oklahoma and his J.D. from The Catholic University of America.

Kristie Kendall – Principal, Kristie Kendall, LLC

Kristie Kendall is the owner of a small business in Northern Virginia that specializes in historic preservation research and consulting, including National Register nominations and land ownership mapping.

Prior to establishing her own company in 2023, Kristie worked for the The Piedmont Environmental Council for 12 years, serving as its Historic Preservation Manager. She also worked for the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program. She is a lifelong Virginian, with deep roots in both Northern Virginia and Madison County. She currently lives in Clifton, VA.

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Kim Biasiolli – Conservation Program Manager, Albemarle & Greene counties

Kim joined The Piedmont Environmental Council in September of 2022, with over 20 years of experience working on biodiversity protection, natural resources management, and land conservation projects and initiatives.

Prior to joining PEC, she worked as the natural resources manager for Albemarle County, where she led projects focused on protecting biodiversity and stream health, conducted environmental review, and supported land management, climate action, and long-range planning efforts. Kim also served as a forest conservation specialist for the Virginia Department of Forestry, where she managed the agency’s land conservation and stewardship efforts throughout the Piedmont, and as a board member for the 500-year Forest Foundation.

In the early days of her career, she worked for an agricultural land trust, and as a rare plant botanist and vegetation ecologist with the Nature Conservancy and the National Park Service. Kim received a B.S. in Environmental Studies from the Evergreen State College and a M.S. in Natural Resources: Forest Ecology from the University of Vermont. 

Bryn Sonnett – Rappahannock-Rapidan Conservation Program Manager

Bryn hails from the Piedmont with roots in Rappahannock County. Growing up in the area solidified her love and appreciation for the outdoors early on and inspired her career in conservation. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Global Environments and Sustainability in 2016.

After several years in Charlottesville, Bryn returned to Rappahannock and accepted a position with Virginia Outdoors Foundation where she worked for the past 7.5 years on public access and private easement acquisitions, amendments, and stewardship of 1,000+ easements throughout the Piedmont. She also served on the Preservation Trust Fund review committee and Baseline Documentation Report Committee, and spent the last two years assisting with VOF’s long-term steward pilot program for mitigation bank easements. Previously, Bryn interned at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and worked for several local small businesses.

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