Willowsford Conservancy

“The organization engages a paid preparer experienced in the preparation of the form 990 to prepare the form. The organization's treasurer reviews the return as prepared by the preparer. A copy of the return is then provided to all members of the board of trustees prior to filing.”

“The organization's governing documents and financial statements are available to the general public upon request.”

“Financial statements are available to the general public upon request.”

“Willowsford conservancy protects, maintains, and promotes the viable, long-term use of the land, integrating farming, recreation, conservation and education to enhance the quality of life for the residents of willowsford and the greater community. Guiding principles stewardship (respect for the land) considering our community's impacts on the land: on soil, water, vegetation, wildlife and on whole natural systems; celebrating local materials and human resources and utilizing appropriate technologies realizing a positive, regenerative effect on the land through all aspects of our operations, including land use and agricultural production, shelter and structures, materials use, energy, and human resources. Community (who we are) creating an authentic sense of place and shared purpose by connecting people to the land and to each other through cultural, artistic, musical, recreational, culinary and social programs, activites, and services that enhance the lifestyle within, and contribute to the betterment of, willowsford and the surrounding community. Health and recreation (go play outside) inspiring and promoting a healthy lifestyle through engaging outdoor recreational opportunities and activities to enrich mind, body, and spirit while enhancing lifelong learning. Conservation (love of nature) creating programs that help foster a passion and commitment to the conservation of wildlife and natural habitats ensuring that they can be appreciated by future generations. Quality and integrity (being great) striving to do our best and be our best in all that we do, and to produce high quality, safe products, events, and interactions; creating an outstanding work and play environment that cultivates safe, friendly, and ethical practices based on respect and dignity. Education (exploration, discovery and understanding) teaching, modeling and sharing ideas about ecological literacy, food literacy, historical literacy, social literacy and other tools for critical thinking, to cultivate engaged citizens and community members. Farming (good food) supporting our community with food that is fresh, clean and healthy and that tastes great. Integrating the farm into the fabric of willowsford to serve as a social and educational resource for the community. Sustainability (the long haul) placing high value on ecological and social health and recognizing that economic viability is a critical precursor to success.”

“Willowsford conservancy is the steward of over 2,200 acres of open space, set aside for conservation, recreation, education and agricultural use. Fresh food production from sustainable farming; recreation opportunities with nature trails, campsites, forests and wetlands that support diverse native wildlife and vegetation; and the conservancy's land stewardship programs-including habitat restoration, wildlife management, and invasive species control-contribute positively to the region's quality of life. Farming in support of its mission for long-term protection and viable use of the land, the conservancy follows sustainable farming practices that enhance the ecological resources of the land and are integrated with the residential life of the community, education, and conservation activities. Sustainable agriculture provides fresh, nourishing food for willowsford residents and the local community, and supports the conservancy's conservation efforts. The farm also plays an active role in the greater community, supporting local agriculture and artisanal food production, food literacy, healthy nutrition, and a vibrant community life. The 2021 summer csa season ended the week before thanksgiving. The farm distributed nearly 10,000 individual share boxes in 2021 to 576 unique users. The farm community supported agriculture (csa) program includes options for vegetable, egg, milk, flower and meat shares. Retail items were also available in addition to csa shares through the online farm stand platform. Farm volunteer opportunities encourage families to engage hands-on and learn about sustainable agriculture and food production. Volunteer engagement opportunities include washing eggs, csa box packing, hosting at csa distribution sites, and fence clearing. We also had tremendous volunteer support for our after-school farm camp this fall. Land conservation and related eduation partnering with other non-profits and government agencies, the conservancy continues to offer hands-on, site-specific education programs and events for adults and children related to environmental stewardship, land conservation, nutrition and culinary arts, and responsible outdoor recreation. Through these activities, the conservancy aims to facilitate informed decision-making and inspire people to become lifelong advocates for environmental sustainability, conservation and healthy lifestyles. Willowsford conservancy offers outdoor environmental education programs for all ages to cultivate citizen stewardship, environmental literacy and a deep emotional connection to the natural world. The conservancy offered multiple native plant programs in 2021, providing residents with resources to create and manage environmentally friendly home landscapes contributes positively to overall habitat health and connectivity not only at willowsford, but in the region. Through partnerships with organizations including banshee reeks nature preserve, the virginia department of game and inland fisheries, the department of forestry, the smithsonian conservation biology institute, loudoun wildlife conservancy (lwc), blue ridge wildlife center, piedmont environmental council and others, the conservancy receives insights and builds expertise on how it can best promote native habitat and wildlife in the community. An important area of land stewardship is reforestation and habitat improvement to assure healthy forest continue to flourish at willowsford. In october, the conservancy completed a reforestation project in partnership with loudoun wildlife conservancy (lwc) with funds from the chesapeake restoration fund. 40 volunteers signed up and 300 trees were planted along broad run in the grant. A meadow restoration project, the blue larkspur meadow restoration project, was completed sucessfully. The meadow finished its transition and native vegetative cover was established throughout this difficult site. It will continue to be managed under our normal practices including invasive species remo”

“Outdoor recreation the conservancy continues to make significant investments in the construction and management of its trail system for recreational and educational use, including signage, maps for orientation and information, guided trail walks, and amenities that facilitate the use of the trails. This year, the land stewardship team has continued bridge repairs in the four villages. This includes a major bridge and boarwalk replacements along the trails. The land stewardship team invested significant extra time and resources in 2021 to make trails easier to access and walk and to accomodate residents with special needs. This has included infrastructure upgrades and reroutes that make it more pleasant to walk and explore the woods. Despite covid-19 restrictions, the conservancy produced solutions to provide amenities to residents. Conservancy amenities including the hidden meadow event field and group campsite, cedar pond pavilion and recreational archery range and the grant campsite provide opportunities and venues for outdoor recreation, community engagement and education encouraging families to camp, hike, observe wildlife, and explore the outdoors. The conservancy partners with local chapters of the boy scouts of america to promote outdoor ethics and conservation. One of the main tenets in scouting is to give back to the community in the form of service. The conservancy teams up with the scouts to provide opportunities to perform trail maintenance, wildlife habitat restoration and conservation projects. Students from local schools are provided with opportunities to use conservancy trails for cross country trail running. The cross-country team volunteered for assisting with trail clean up. They trimmed back vegetation and collected trash along the grant trails.”

“2020 was the first year that an independent audit was completed. A finance committee was set up. The finance committee is charged with supervising and reviewing the audit.”