On Jan. 18, 2018, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors (BOS) approved the True North Data Center 5-4, despite County staff recommendations for denial of a rezoning request based on the land’s location in the Transition Policy Area, the environmental sensitivity of the land and public protest in the form of emails, post cards and calls to the Board. Loudoun Wildlife thanks the efforts of its members and friends.
Read more here about how the supervisors voted and the case against the data center at this location.
Save Our Watersheds
Much of Loudoun’s drinking water comes from Goose Creek and the Potomac River. As Loudoun grows, it is essential that we preserve the forests, wetlands and meadows that serve as filters for our watersheds.
These natural resources not only protect our drinking supply, they provide valuable habitat for resident and migratory species, filter and retain storm water, increase resilience against storms and drought, and give residents and visitors a beautiful place to play.
The Goose Creek is home to many birds, fish, mollusks, reptiles, amphibians and insects including state-threatened species such as the wood turtle and loggerhead shrike.
A threatened species is one that is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.
Luckily, there are measures we can take to protect both the quality of our water supply and the wildlife that shares the streams, forests, meadows and wetlands that make up our watersheds. We can advocate for policies in our new comprehensive plan that will:
Promote conservation easements, property development rights and County land acquisition to preserve land along our stream corridors.
Ensure ecologically valuable lands and waters are identified, monitored and maintained or restored.
Require green building practices such as limiting the amount of impervious surface that is created during development and redevelopment.
Imagining what Loudoun will look like decades down the road, one thing is clear: we must preserve our natural assets throughout the county. For all the benefits they provide, we can’t afford to lose them.
Transition Area Alliance’s Message to County: Value Land As an Asset, Not a Commodity
Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy supports the Transition Area Alliance (TAA), a group of concerned Loudoun County residents dedicated to protecting open space and quality of life in Loudoun’s Transition Policy Area (TPA). The TPA provides a buffer between the high-density suburban areas to the east and north, and rural areas to the west. It is also home to three drinking water reservoirs, and a rich diversity of species and habitat.
As Loudoun County government drafts its new comprehensive plan, which will guide land use for years to come, the Transition Area Alliance advocates for policies that will protect the TPA from over development. Read TAA’s position paper.