Our Legacy
In 1995, Loudoun residents Joe Coleman, Diane Gilliam, and Leslie Metzger gathered around a farmhouse kitchen table in Loudoun County, Va., determined to protect local wildlife habitat from the pressures of rapid development and population growth. From those impassioned discussions, Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy (LWC) took root.
Today, LWC has grown into the largest, most comprehensive environmental organization in Loudoun County. As a volunteer-driven, membership-based nonprofit, we focus our vital work on five difference-making areas:
- Education: We host hundreds of free nature programs and field trips annually while delivering nature-based education programs in local K-12 classrooms.
- Citizen Science: We mobilize volunteers to monitor the health of our ecosystems and share critical data with local, state, and national organizations.
- Habitat Conservation: We champion native plants, remove invasive species, train property owners in land stewardship, and restore local habitats.
- Conservation Advocacy: We empower our local community to advocate for legislation that safeguards wildlife habitat and promotes responsible development.
- JK Black Oak Wildlife Sanctuary: We own and manage 89 acres of globally rare wetlands in Lucketts, committed to protecting the unique plant and animal species that thrive there.
What began with three concerned community members around a kitchen table has grown into a rich, thriving legacy embraced by thousands. We’ve accomplished so much since 1995, but there’s so much more to be done.
We can’t do it without you.
Join us, and help write the next chapter of our legacy. Together, as one united force of nature, we’ll protect, preserve and restore the natural beauty of Loudoun County — our home — for generations to come.
Our Mission
To protect, preserve and restore wildlife habitat.
Our Vision
A Loudoun County where people and wildlife thrive together.
Our Values
- We embrace our responsibility as stewards of the natural world and inspire our community to do the same.
- We commit ourselves to developing relationships that elevate both our mission and the efforts of like-minded partners.
- We strive to foster a culture of integrity while valuing transparency, diversity, and inclusion in all our interactions.
- We take an evidence-based approach to our work, using scientific data to inform our decisions and actions.
Our Commitment to Inclusion
Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy recognizes that to achieve our vision of a Loudoun where people and wildlife thrive together, our work must represent, welcome, and benefit everyone in our community. We therefore dedicate ourselves to the ongoing cultivation of a welcoming and accessible environment where individuals of all backgrounds and orientations feel safe, valued, and empowered to engage with our mission. Just as biodiversity strengthens the ecosystem we protect, preserve, and restore, diversity in people, perspectives, and experiences strengthens our organization. By embracing and celebrating these differences, we ensure our work reflects the full richness of our community while advancing lasting, transformative connections between people and nature.
Questions? Contact us.