Prince William Conservation Alliance
Big trees are hard to find.


Bluebird Eggs in Nest BoxBluebird Trail Off to a Great Start!

We monitored the Merrimac Farm Bluebird Trail at the May 4 volunteer training session and were delighted to find two bluebird nests, each with five eggs. Although Bluebirds are commonly seen, habitat losses, pesticides and competition from introduced species create challenging circumstances. We are helping keep Bluebirds common by providing nesting sites and collecting information on their success. We could still use one or two more volunteers to help, please contact us at alliance@pwconserve.org if you are can help! Read more...

Back Porch Demolition at the Stone House Cancelled - We lost some key people to family needs and will reschedule.

We want to open the Stone House for community programs and hope you can help us make this happen! Read more...

A Virginia Conservation Partnership: Merrimac Farm Celebration
Nearly 200 people met at Merrimac Farm on April 10, 2008 to celebrate the acquisition of this unique property for public use. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and everyone was smiling! Now, as we close the door on the first stage of the project to conserve Merrimac Farm and begin efforts to open the Stone House and provide nature programs, we are looking forward to working with citizens, organizations and others who want to help make good things happen at Merrimac Farm!
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Occoquan ReservoirThe Occoquan Watershed and Your Drinking Water Supply
Click here for Quick Facts

The Occoquan Watershed covers 590 square miles and includes the Occoquan Reservoir, which serves as the boundary between Fairfax and Prince William counties. The Occoquan Reservoir is a drinking water supply for more than 1.2 million people who live and work in Northern Virginia. Over half Prince William's total county population depends on the Occoquan Reservoir for about 17 million gallons of clean drinking water each day. Read more about the Occoquan Reservoir... or click here to learn more about how impervious surfaces degrade local waterways...

 

American ToadsStudents Discover Nature Close to Home at Merrimac Farm

Marsteller Middle School seventh grade science students joined PWCA naturalists helped us discover more about the plants and animals at Merrimac Farm. Spring is an exciting time and Merrimac Farm is a great place to watch wildlife. We saw several species of frogs and some of us were lucky enough to observe mating American Toads lay eggs in the pond. Read more...

Troutlily at Merrimac FarmPreliminary Plant List for Merrimac Farm Now Available

Merrimac Farm, best known for the Virginia Bluebells that carpet nearly one mile of Cedar Run shoreline, is home to a myriad of plants. It is fun to know their names, although some can be difficult to identify. A list of plants that people have seen at a particular site helps narrow the search and confirms the presence of specific plants. We put together a list of the plants we and others have seen during tours of Merrimac Farm. The list is not complete, but it is a pretty good start and we hope it helps you learn more about the interesting and beautiful plants at Merrimac Farm and throughout Northern Virginia. View the plant list...
Silver Lake Stalemate at Silver Lake

At the April 8 Board meeting, Supervisor Stirrup motioned for Silver Lake to be conveyed to the Prince William Park Authority. Supervisor Nohe motioned in support of the Bull Run Mountain Conservancy. Both motions failed by a 5-3 vote. It's deju vu all over again and everyone is still wondering... which would you choose? 500 acres of parkland open to the public at no cost to taxpayers OR 230 acres of parkland open to the public at an initial investment of $1.6 million + $215,000 additional tax dollars each year. Read more...

Virginia Bluebells at Merrimac FarmParks, Trails, Open Space & Prince William County

You may or may not be happy with the recent decisions of the Board of County Supervisors regarding planning for parks, open space, and trails, but the relevant chapter in the Comprehensive Plan will not be revised for another five years. What matters now is how county officials implement the action strategies in that planning document. Read more...