Thanks to our Virginia Team!  

Staff and board members from the Capital Region Land Conservancy, Land Trust of Virginia, Northern Virginia Conservation Trust, Piedmont Environmental Council, and VaULT spent two days in DC talking about the value of land conservation.  Our four priority issues were Permanently Reauthorize and Fully Fund Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF); Retain the FY 2016 Funding Level to Restore Chesapeake Bay; Reauthorize the Farm Bill & Restore Funds for Its Land Conservation Programs; and Support Charitable Deductions for Land Conservation.

Thanks to staff and representatives from the following offices for meeting with us: Senators Kaine and Warner and Congress Members: Beyer, Brat, Comstock, Connolly, Garrett, Scott, and Wittman. 

More than 120 people from 40 states participated in Advocacy Days.  Several of us also attended a briefing by Secretary Zinke.  The Secretary laid out his vision for the Interior Department and the management of our public lands that span through 12-time zones from the Virgin Islands to the Samoan Islands.  Here is a link to his remarks.