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

Peter Bance

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Vice President

Hill Wellford 

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Treasurer

Margaret J. Smith

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Secretary

Fleet Dillard

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Directors

Hylah Boyd

Prue Davis

Suzanne Derieux

Frances Ellis

Muscoe Garnett III

Mac Garrett

Ronnie Gill

Calvin Haile

Jay Hundley

Richard Moncure

Gam Rose

Julie Strock

Tripp Taliaferro

Knox Tull

Henry Ware, Jr

Bob Waring

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Advisory Board

Robert Allen

Keith Balderson

James Barry Bates

Bob Baylor

Walker Box

Nathan J. Burrell

Betty Jo Butler

George Dickinson

R. Peel Dillard

Robert Franklin

Charlotte Frischkorn

Frederick L. Garrett, IV

Kevin Goff

John R. Haile, D.V.M.

Edward Haile

George Jennings

Richard Lewis, M.D.

Lisa Mountcastle

Phillip Sasser

Charles Seilheimer

Vance Spilman

Sam Sturt

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.