Save the Rural Crescent

Community Report, October 1 2021; newsletter archive. Your support makes our work possible, donate here.

People who make a difference.

Celebrating People Who Make a Difference!

Join us at La Grange Winery on October 24th at 3 pm to celebrate People Who Make a Difference. We will be honoring Frank Washington, Marion Lobstein, Jim Klakowicz, and Carlos Castro for their contributions to Prince William County.

Complimentary tasting for guests, discount on purchases. Enjoy the views of the vinyeard and historic manor. The event will be outdoors with limited seating. RSVP your spot today! 

Protecting the Occoquan Reservior: Our Shared Water Source

The quality of our reservoir and the quality of our watershed are interconnected. "It doesn't take a lot of development to start to see impacts," explained Dr. Stephen Souza.

Occoquan Reservoir

That's because development changes hydrology, i.e. how water flows during and after storm events. As land is developed, impervious surfaces replace farmland and forests, resulting in an increase in stormwater runoff and a decrease in groundwater recharge.

Allowing construction of data centers on more than 2,000 acres of land in the upper reaches of the Occoquan Reservoir will challenge the quality of drinking water for thousands of Northern Virginia residents.

Dr. Stephen Souza, from Clean Waters Consulting, who has 35 years of lake and reservoir management experience, joined us for a discussion on how land development within the Occoquan Reservoir watershed impacts the water quality, aesthetics, recreational uses and ecological balance of the reservoir and the streams that drain to it. Learn more

A Growing Coalition for the Rural Crescent and National Parks


Prince William County's Board of Supervisors is considering designating more than 2,000 acres of Rural Crescent land for data centers and other industrial uses. These lands are right next to Manassas Battlefield National Park and Prince William Forest [National] Park.

PWCA has formed a coalition of local, regional, state, and national organizations that are working together to challenge these plans. Recently, we launched a website outlining the issue and showcasing the folly of this type of development.

Data centers are a modern industrial reality that can serve Prince William County well if they are carefully and properly sited. Prince William already has about 3,100 acres in its current data center overlay district. Adding rural land to that district is unnecessary and jeopardizes both national parks and opens the door for additional short-sighted development across the county. READ MORE.

How To Green Up Our Transportation Network with Charlie Grymes

Monday, Novemeber 15 at 7 pm. Online, register here.

Prince William County is preparing a plan to build roads, transit, and trails over the next 20 years. Instead of repeating the pattern used since 1950 (widen and pave new roads), Supervisors have an opportunity to address equity and climate goals as part of the update of the Mobility Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. Learn more about what a New and Improved Plan could do for Prince William County here.

Discover a New Invasive Insect That May Be in a Backyard Near You!

Thursday, Decemeber 9 at 7 pm. Online, register here.

Join Valerie Huelsman, Environmental Analyst for the Prince William County Mosquito and Forest Pest Management Branch, for an introduction to the spotted lanternfly (SLF); a recent threat to our trees, (and wine and beer!).

Learn more about Spotted Lanternfly management efforts in Prince William and what you can do to help protect your trees and plants in an environmentally friendly way here.

2021 Bluebird Monitoring Results

Learning about wildlife through experiencing it firsthand fosters a deeper connection than is possible otherwise. Sure, reading a book written by experts is a helpful way to round out your knowledge, but through first-hand observation, you collect stories and memories that are uniquely yours. 


Along the two trails PWCA manages, we have installed 12 nest boxes at Merrimac Farm and 14 at Chinn trail. Volunteers tracked 9 active nests at each trail and watched 29 and 33 bluebirds fledge respectively.

Through monitoring, nature reveals its ability to adapt and endure. On April 14, one volunteer monitoring Eastern Bluebirds encountered a shocking sight. Find out what happened plus the results of this year's Bluebird monitoring here.

Bluebirds