What is our Mission Statement?

ECCA was incorporated in Virginia in February, 2007, to promote and protect the rural character of Essex County - preserving farms and forests, natural and historic resources - for the benefit of future generations. We do this work through education and outreach to Essex County landowners about voluntary conservation options to permanently protect the land.

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What are we?

ECCA is not a land trust. Instead, ECCA promotes the array of conservation options offered by a host of conservation groups operating in Essex County. Options include the donation of a conservation easement to a qualified conservation organization in Virginia, such as the Middle Peninsula Land Trust; the full- or partial sale of a conservation easement to a state agency, like the Virginia Outdoors Foundation; a land management memorandum of agreement with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service through the local Rappahannock River Valley Wildlife Refuge office; or the outright donation of land to a public or private conservation agency, such as the Middle Peninsula Public Access Authority or The Nature Conservancy.

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Who are we?

ECCA board members are themselves landowners who have or hope to donate conservation easements on their land. They have the experience to reach out to and educate landowners about the potential for conservation easements and other conservation options and to direct landowners to the agencies most suited to meet their long-term needs.

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President

Tripp Taliaferro

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Vice President

Lisa Mountcastle

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Treasurer

Margaret J. Smith

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Secretary

Julie Strock

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Directors

Karin Andrews

Peter Bance

Barry Bates

Prue Davis

A. Fleet Dillard, III

Frances Ellis

Muscoe Garnett, III

Mac Garrett

Ronnie Gill

Meg Hodges

Gam Rose

Julie Strock

Sam Sturt, IV

Knox Tull

Bob Waring

Hill Wellford, Jr

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Advisory Board

Wright Andrews

Bob Baylor

Thomas Blackwell

Nathan J. Burrell

Stanley Clarke

Suzanne Derieux

George Dickinson

R. Peel Dillard

Charlotte Frischkorn

Frederick Garrett, IV

Edward Haile

John R. Haile, D.V.M.

Meg Hodges

James Hundley

Brent Hunsinger

George Jennings

Richard Moncure

Chief Anne Richardson

Phillip Sasser

Charles Seilheimer

Randy Shuford

Vance Spilman

David Taliaferro

Estie Thomas

Paula Tignor

Sheppard Ware

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What are our Goals?

We work to preserve the unique qualities of Essex County on Virginia's Middle Peninsula by: Advising landowners of the economic benefits of conservation easements and other land protection tools. Educating the public about the high value to the community of protecting land in perpetuity. Maintaining productive farms, forests and fisheries. Retaining and enhancing wildlife habitat, wetlands and other productive natural resources. Protecting ample supplies of safe drinking water. Preserving historic resources. Providing recreational opportunities on land and water.