The Association does its work through an active board charged with monitoring stream water quality, proposed developments, legislation, zoning changes, and other actions that have potential impact on the environment and quality of life in the Goose Creek watershed in Fauquier and Loudoun Counties, VA, and taking steps through educational forums to forestall or encourage these changes accordingly.
We actively support the work of other like-minded regional groups both in spirit and with financial support. And we work to coalesce the many conservation and preservation efforts to provide a unified voice for conservation/preservation-minded citizens in the area.
November 2009
We have a new Communications/Publications Committee, chaired by Al Barbar. Members of the committee are: Regan Pickett, Chandler Van Voorhiis and Mark Thompson. Chandler is now writing a monthly column in the Middleburg Eccentric and Regan will be writing an article for the Piedmont Virginian in January about Goose Creek.
http://middleburgeccentric.com/archive.asp
Goose Creek Association now has a Facebook page - click below to become a fan.
Goose Creek Association – Dues Renewal Time
Dear Friends,
Thank you for you generous support during the past year. We hope to continue making important contributions to the conservation communities in Fauquier and Loudoun counties and without your continued help would have a difficult time.
Your membership is critical to the Goose Creek Association especially as the troubled economy creates challenges in raising funds vital to the continuation of our programs. It is time to renew your membership and we hope you will remember the Goose Creek Association. We will continue to work to preserve the health of the Goose Creek watershed, meeting our goals in 2010.
We still strive toward environmentally friendly practices to include less use of paper. Please include your e-mail address on the enclosed volunteer form so that we may send newsletters and alerts electronically.
Please contact the Goose Creek office if you would like more information about our various programs or volunteer opportunities. Once again, thank you for supporting the Goose Creek Association.
Sincerely,
Butter Strother
Chairman
A Creek Runs Through Us - Middleburg Eccentric Article by Chandler Van Voorhis
Water has played a critical role in the formation of the United States. As President Theodore Roosevelt stated 100 years ago, in the first ever White House Conference on Conservation, “It was in Philadelphia that the representatives of all the...(click the link below to read more)
http://middleburgeccentric.com/scripts/NewsManager/templates/ecc_artical.aspx?articleid=2438&zoneid=2
A Landmark for a Land Conservation Group - Washington Post Article by James Hohmann
The Land Trust of Virginia, a Middleburg-based nonprofit group, met a decade-old goal this month by placing its 100th property and 10,000th acre in permanent conservation easements. Much of the land...(click the link below to read more)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/29/AR2009122902822.html?sub=AR
GCA Stream Monitors & Water Collectors Pot Luck & Habitat Assessment Training.
On September 20, 2009 the Stream Monitors and Water Collectors attended a workship on Habitat Assessment which was held in Delaplane. The training session was held on the Goose Creek river. The attendees enjoyed a beautiful afternoon and pot luck luncheon.
GCA STRATEGY SESSION:
On October 14, 2009 the GCA Board of Directors held a strategy session. Meredith Whiting and Al Barber moderated the discussion. Meredith opened the meeting with a summary of GCA’s operational agenda since 1999. In the past the organization focused primarily on direct advocacy and the funding of other organizations’ political activism as a way of protecting and preserving the rural environment and natural resources of the Goose Creek area. Over a period of several years, our focus shifted to education as the more effective way to achieve our goals for key environmental and conservation issues in the Goose Creek Watershed. This shift argued for becoming a non-profit organization; that change was made in 2006. This move has altered both how we use our funds and what projects we undertake.
The purpose of this meeting is to retool our Mission Statement to reflect this shift, and to look to the future of GCA.
Our new Mission Statement is: (Statement Adopted by the Board on November 9, 2009)
The Goose Creek Association protects and preserves the natural resources, open space, historic heritage, and rural quality of life within the Goose Creek watershed.
In October we welcomed 2 new Board Members to the GCA. Regan Pickett and Barbara Scott have signed on and are already working diligently on many committees. We are very happy to have such committed, hardworking new board members.
Stream Monitoring News:
In October 2009 GCA received notice from DEQ about our grant request for $2000. We did receive a grant, but only for $1000 because of funding cuts.
The fundamental mission of the Goose Creek Association is to protect and preserve the natural resources of the Goose Creek Watershed. In order to measure progress, the quality of Goose Creek water is regularly tested by volunteers. GCA volunteers monitor 22 stations: 16 are in Fauquier County and 6 are in Loudoun County.
CLICK HERE to Learn More.