2005 Student Essay Winners
Austin Mitchell
Staunton River High School
May 4, 2005
It is no secret that Bedford County is growing. In fact, it is the fastest growing county in Virginia west of the I-95 corridor. If it continues to grow at its current rate, the population will well exceed 100,000 by 2030. Bedford County is currently developing a new Comprehensive Plan. This plan will guide the development of the county for the next 20 years. In order to provide the best quality of life and economic health possible for the community, a balance must be found between growth and conservation of open space. Current zoning will not effectively preserve open space so other methods must be encouraged. However, growth is inevitable so there must also be a way to control this growth in order to protect the land in this beautiful county.
Preserving unspoiled vistas, farmland, and forests ranked only under education and emergency services as the top priorities that citizens see for the future of Bedford County. There were about 260,000 acres of open space in Bedford County as of 2002. No doubt this number has dropped as open space gives way to subdivisions. This is seen particularly in the eastern section of the county where many farms have been converted into upscale subdivisions. In order to preserve open space, farmers must be encouraged to place their farms in a Conservation Easement or a PDR Program must be developed. A Conservation Easement provides tax benefits to farmers who place their land into such an easement. The farm in Forest opposite Rt. 221 from the library is a perfect example of a farm placed in a Conservation Easement. A PDR Program provides cash to landowners who vow not to subdivide their land. Such a program is currently not available in Bedford County, but is in several other Virginia localities. A PDR program for this county should be explored to give farmers a financial incentive for not developing their land.
There are many benefits to preserving open space. The most obvious is that it protects the beauty of this county. Over the summer I work at a marina on Smith Mountain Lake, so I come in contact with many tourists. Almost all comment that this is the most beautiful place they have ever seen. Many residents take the scenic beauty of this area for granted. The fact is that tourists are drawn here by the county’s natural beauty. Tourism has the potential to pump millions of dollars into the local economy. From the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Peaks of Otter to Smith Mountain Lake, there are plenty of recreational opportunities that can turn Bedford County into a tourist destination for those that enjoy “scenery.” Preserving open space also keeps property values high because many people like to live near open space. These benefits alone are reason enough to encourage preservation.
Everyone knows that growth in Bedford County is imminent. However, growth is not always a bad thing if it is done the right way. There are several ways to promote smart growth. Current developments along Rt. 122 between Moneta and Hales Ford Bridge provide great examples of smart growth. Cluster development is a great way to preserve open space. An example is Downtown Moneta at Smith Mountain Lake and Mayberry Hills. This is a mixed-use development along Rt. 122 adjacent to the library. Mixed-use means that both residential and commercial parcels are developed in a cluster together that promotes a sense of community while preserving space. Another way to preserve open space is to develop growth boundaries. This is also being done along Rt. 122. Currently water lines are already in place and sewer lines are planned along this road from Downtown Moneta to Hales Ford Bridge. This infrastructure will promote growth along Rt. 122 that does not result in urban sprawl throughout the area. This same type of idea should be applied to other areas of the county through the Comprehensive Plan. Such measures would promote growth along existing utility corridors rather than sprawl to outlying areas.
Preserving open space and smart growth are key to the quality of life and economic health of Bedford County. Farmers and landowners should be encouraged to place their land in easements to protect them from development. This open space promotes tourism and raises property value. Growth is imminent, so smart growth must be encouraged. This type of growth provides the services citizens desire without destroying scenic views or the sense of community of the area. The Comprehensive Plan should take all of these things into consideration in order to protect and develop Bedford County in a way that will make future generations proud to call this county home.
Anne L. Toms
Liberty High School
May 24, 2005
With flourishing cities and a booming population, the need for open space weighs heavily on the minds of conservationists; and well it should. “Ninety percent of the total acreage” in the United States has been developed, according to the United States Pony Club News magazine, which increases the value – both sentimentally and monetarily – of undeveloped land. Everyone experiences the rewards of open country: fresh air, healthy wildlife, and the joy of the great outdoors. Countless people flock to the Peaks of Otter every year to get away from the pavement of Bedford City to enjoy simple pleasures. Anyone can appreciate a herd of whitetail deer, a gang of turkeys, and the soothing ripple of a clear stream. What many don’t realize that everyone must do their part to preserve the habitats that allow these things to exist.
Perhaps no one understands the necessity of land and water conservation better than farmers – those that make their living from the health and availability of the land. Countless programs have been enacted to inform and assist farmers with implementing conservation technology. Farmers are faced with many demands to keep their property healthy and productive, including pasture and crop stewardship. They must manage their pastures and grassland to keep them at maximum production and cost efficiency. Policies are interrelated, and one directly affects another. For example, poor fertilization techniques can result in toxic runoff, which could lead to ill livestock due to poor water quality. This can affect both humans and animals. In order to properly and profitably run a farm, whether for production of livestock or crops, one must always be aware of the conservation of both land and water.
Many organizations dedicate themselves to preserving resources and educating the public as to the importance of conservation. Core 4, for example, stresses common sense as the key to improving land water quality, specifically for farmers. “Conservation buffers” is one method suggested by Core 4 to reduce water sediment caused by runoff. These buffers are dense plants grown in erosion trouble spots that soak up extra water that would otherwise pick up topsoil and wash it away, polluting streams and stripping the land of its most fertile layer. The plants’ complex root systems hold the soil in place, keeping both the land the water healthy.
Similarly, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation administers the largest environmental program of the federal government, the Conservation Reserve Program. The CRP, which was established in 1985,
“encourages farmers to voluntarily plant permanent areas of grass and trees on land that needs protection from erosion, to act as windbreaks, or in places where vegetation can improve water quality, food, and habitat for wildlife.” (The Conservation Reserve Program)
Since many conservation modifications can be expensive to farmers, the USDA offers some financial incentives and assistance for installing such measures. For example, cattle farmers who wish to fence off streams and channel that water elsewhere so running water can’t be contaminated by the E-coli bacteria, can apply for a grant from the federal government.
While farmers may be more directly affected by conservation than any other single group, everyone must participate in order for preservation efforts to effective. Striking a balance between development and reserved acreage ensures that today’s wildlife and tranquil surroundings will survive to serve the generations of tomorrow. Even larger cities can take significant steps in preservation. The benefits of planting trees for landscaping reach beyond town beautification. Trees also help prevent runoff, which reduces flooding and contributes to water quality. Trees release oxygen, the essential gas for life, during photosynthesis; not to mention that strategic landscaping can even help reduce energy bill sand noise pollution. Evergreens can form wind blocks to keep buildings warmer in the winter, and oaks provide a pleasant shade from sweltering summer heat. Thoughtful landscaping that considers proper fertilizing practices will reduce damaging runoff.
Everyone feels the pinch of expanding housing developments and urban areas. More farmers are forced, each year, to sell their land to subdivision developers due to the monetary strains of staying in agriculture. However, as citizens see the countryside of their childhood paved into shopping areas and parking lots, they realize responsibility falls on everyone. In order to keep streams open for swimming, parks available for recreation, and the skies clear enough to see the stars at night, everyone must do their part. From careful landscaping, to planting trees, to education peers about the dangers of littering, everyone can do something to see that wildlife and open space are preserved and appreciated for years to come. In the past, Bedford County has been largely agricultural. Bedford County citizens are very fortunate to have land in our areas to enjoy: the Peaks of Otter, Smith Mountain Lake, and Liberty Lake Park all provide citizens with relaxation in the hush of nature; but as farmland slowly gives way to development, it is imperative that we maintain equilibrium between developed land and natural open space.
Environmental awareness has grown tremendously since the time of Rachel Carson’s 1962 publication, Silent Spring, concerned the damages of the pesticide DDT. Research and education continue to enlighten the public on the importance of preservation practices.
Works Cited
Conservation Technology Information Center. Core 4.
Elliott, Ashleigh. “Where Will You Ride?” USPC News. Fall 2003: 8-10.
Farm Bill 2002. Conservation Practices and Program for Your Farm
“Land Conservation for Watershed Protection.” Trust for Public Land. http://www.tpl.org
United States Department of Agriculture. Innovation in Environmental Improvement. 1997.
United States Depart of Agriculture. The Conservation Reserve Program. Washington, D.C. 1997.
Virginia Gardener. Conserving Energy with Landscaping. 2001.
Nathan Fesmire
Jefferson Forest High School
May 4, 2005
Preserving the environment, while creating additional facilities to accommodate the growth of a community, is not an easy task. Apartments, grocery stores, schools, and other facilities all need to be constructed. However land is needed for the construction of such facilities, land that may be filled with tress, flowers, or a bubbling brook. The elimination of such an environment, which is undeniably soothing to the soul and known to have beneficial impacts on a person’s physical health, is no small cost for a construction project. There must be a balance between the land cleared for buildings and the land preserved for aesthetic purposes. The simplest and in some cases, only method of maintaining this balance is, with the construction of each facility, to reserve a space or spaces of the property for trees, bushes, flowers, a garden or something of that nature (no pun intended). Granted, a small garden sitting by itself in the middle of a massive parking lot for a strip mall does not balance very well, but a garden is better than no garden.
There are various methods to go about reserving spaces for the environment in a construction project. As mentioned earlier, the reservation may be as simple and as small as a garden in a parking lot. On the opposite end of the spectrum, would be a plan involving the construction of as much as possible around the environment, and only clearing the vegetation that cannot be maneuvered around. Obviously, this kind of plan would require additional time and resources, which may not be available to many companies or businesses; however, a business or company that is capable of such a construction project would have an excellent source for advertising their facilities to the public. Not only would environmentalists be pleased, or at least less disturbed, but the environment surround the facility would provide a unique touch to that facility’s atmosphere.
This kind of approach would be most beneficial when used with the creation of Bedford County’s subdivisions. Having a subdivision in such an environment would attract many home buyers, which may even enable real estate agents to sell property for more money. However, more often than not, wooded areas are completely decimated for the creation of new homes or apartments. After the completion of these projects, people often see a vast amount of open space – space not occupied by a building – space once filled by beautiful trees and other vegetation. Granted, some companies will plant some trees, but only after the original trees were cleared. Furthermore, the trees planted are young, and fewer in number than the trees that were originally there.
A different approach to preserving the environment while building facilities to accommodate the growth of a community would be to create parks for the public to enjoy. These parts could range from a simple trail created in a patch of woods to a large playground marked by magnificently tall and thick threes and a bounty of garden with assorted flowers. Having grown up in Forest and having had memorable childhood experiences at Jump Park, playing on what was at the time, a massive playground, next to a thick wooded area, I know that such parks will not sit unused.
Sometimes, funds do not exist for the creation of such parks. Sometimes, time does not allow for a construction company to build around the environment. Sometimes, the lack of available space will not allow an area to be reserved for the environment to bless the public with its aesthetic beauty. What can be done in situations such as these? If these series of hypothetical occurrences are indeed the case, then the only thing that can be done is to conduct careful planning and determine precisely how much land is needed for the construction of a facility. Then the amount of land cleared for the creation of that facility must not surpass the predetermined number, therefore minimizing the effects of construction on the environment outside of that specified area.
Expanding a community while preserving the environment is going to require some extra time and resources, to say the least. The argument that such a task is easy or free cannot be made. However, the benefits of accomplishing the task are worth more than money. There is something about playing Frisbee in a rich green park, feeling the solid earth beneath the feet on a hike in the woods, swimming in a cool stream, or simply reading a book under a tree and breathing in the fresh oxygen produced by it, that is powerful enough to seemingly erase the busy life of society.
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