
ABOUT ECCA
Working to preserve the unique rural qualities of Essex County
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.
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.
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.
President
Peter Bance
Vice President
Hill Wellford
Treasurer
Margaret J. Smith
Secretary
Fleet Dillard
Directors
Barry Bates
Hylah Boyd
Prue Davis
Frances Ellis
Muscoe Garnett, III
Mac Garrett
Ronnie Gill
Jay Hundley
Gam Rose
Julie Strock
Sam Sturt, IV
Tripp Taliaferro
Knox Tull
Henry Ware, Jr
Bob Waring
Advisory Board
Wright Andrews
Robert Allen
Keith Balderson
Bob Baylor
Walker Box
Nathan J. Burrell
Betty Jo Butler
Suzanne Derieux
George Dickinson
R. Peel Dillard
Robert Franklin
Charlotte Frischkorn
Frederick L. Garrett, IV
Kevin Goff
Calvin Haile
Edward Haile
John R. Haile, D.V.M.
George Jennings
Richard Lewis, M.D.
Richard Moncure
Lisa Mountcastle
Phillip Sasser
Charles Seilheimer
Vance Spilman
David Taliaferro
Waring Trible
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.