Aldo Leopold is a famed conservationist, regarded by many as the father of modern conservation. He is most known for his iconic book A Sand County Almanac, a culmination of essays from personal experience that influenced others to connect and care for the natural world.
The Aldo Leopold Foundation recognizes March 4-6th each year as Aldo Leopold week! His influence extends far and wide across the US, and multiple nature preserves, centers, and wilderness areas are named after him in his honor. Northern Virginians can experience the same wonders of the outdoors that inspired Leopold’s philosophies and writing by visiting Leopold’s Preserve in Prince William County! This 380-acre nature preserve of wetlands, wildflower meadows, and hardwood forests is permanently protected by NVCT and is actively stewarded and managed by the White House Farm Foundation (WHFF).
Leopold’s Preserve surrounds the Villages of Piedmont in Haymarket Village. It may seem strange that such a vast expanse of land is located so close to development, and the Digital Gateway Data Center project; however, in an urban area like Northern Virginia, the coexistence between development and nature is not only needed but becoming more common. When planning the community, Scott Plein, Principal of Equinox Investments, believed that clustering homes closer together on larger lots protected much more habitat for wildlife. Leopold’s Preserve takes up 70 percent of the landscape, and is essentially a backyard nature preserve for residents and a popular natural destination for the Northern Virginia Community! The preserve is proudly protected in perpetuity under a conservation easement held by NVCT, completed in 2017.
“Leopold’s Preserve was an innovative, far-reaching dream ten years ago that has only become a better idea as the years have gone by,” said NVCT Executive Director Alan Rowsome. “Though there is always tension between development and land protection in urban areas, Leopold tells us that working together yields better results than being at constant odds.”
Leopold’s Land Ethic urges others to consider land and everything that lives and grows on it as part of their community. The Villages of Piedmont community includes the residents, staff, and everything that thrives at Leopold’s! Trails loop through the forest and near streams, and the observation deck overlooks the wetland. This up-close experience allows residents and visitors alike to develop an appreciation for nature that will flourish into a desire to protect it.
Plein’s White House Farm Foundation owns and stewards the land, ensuring that residents and visitors have opportunities for outdoor recreation without disrupting the area's biodiversity. Over 200 bird species have been documented at the preserve, from eastern bluebirds to red shouldered hawks. Leopold’s is a popular spot for local birders. In addition, Leopold's Preserve serves as a resource where WHFF's partners, including NVCT, the Bull Run Mountains Conservancy, and Virginia Working Landscapes, can conduct research and provide educational programs for the community. Programs at Leopold’s include guided nature walks, wildlife workshops, and conservation seminars.
The Northern Virginia Conservation Trust and White House Farm Foundation will continue to work together to protect this preserve for years to come, ensuring that others may experience the power of nature that Leopold felt. Leopold’s Preserve honors this amazing conservation legacy by showcasing the land's beauty, serving as an example of his land ethic in action and providing others with the opportunity to be inspired to join the conservation movement. The Foundation has partnered with NVCT on a number of other projects across the region. WHFF is proud to provide annual donations to support NVCT's mission to "save nearby nature".
Here at NVCT, we are not strangers to working with developers for the best possible outcome for conservation and human health and wellbeing. Northern Virginia is an increasingly urban and developed area, and we rarely can remove what has already been built. Still, we can work together to create a more balanced and sustainable environment for humans and wildlife alike.
Aldo Leopold’s “Land Ethic” advocated for others to care for the land and consider it a part of the greater community. Key principles for this philosophy include recognizing the value of the land and choosing the least harmful option for the land community. Perhaps Northern Virginia is the perfect place to find the balance between nature and human progress and put a modern version of land ethics into practice.
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