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2006 Scenic Awards  View
Slideshow of 2006 Awards
On
Thursday, November 2, 2006, Scenic Virginia paid tribute to the recipients of its 2006 Scenic Awards at a ceremony at the historic Kent-Valentine House in Richmond. The honored projects represent a range of critical work being done in the field of scenic conservation throughout the Commonwealth.
Awards Chair Bill Beck of Fredericksburg noted that the nominations received this year were truly outstanding and represented almost every region of Virginia. Award winners were equally diverse, coming "from Abingdon to Chincoteague, from Loudoun to Chesterfield."
Speaking before a capacity crowd, President Eugenia Anderson-Ellis of Richmond reminded the audience of Scenic Virginia’s mission, noting, "Beauty is good for business. Beauty is essential for the soul. The projects we’re honoring will help preserve Virginia’s scenic beauty -- our common wealth -- for generations to come."
Scenic Virginia presented its 2006 Scenic Awards to the following projects: |
Best Preservation of a Scenic Viewshed:
Preservation of Tinker Mountain |
Scenic
Virginia considers more than just the number of acres preserved when bestowing this award. Of special importance are the quality of the viewshed, as well as its history and importance to our Commonwealth. For that reason past Awards have recognized the viewsheds from Monticello, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the historic Clarkton Bridge.
Tinker
Mountain, in southern Botetourt and northern Roanoke counties, is one of the most visible landmarks in the Roanoke Valley. Since 1842, it has played a significant role in the life of Hollins University.
To
the horror of many, Tinker Mountain was recently faced with the prospect of being sold and developed. When that happened, a public-private partnership formed to save 250 acres of Tinker Mountain. That effort has preserved the western ridge and the top of the mountain from future development, and is the first effort of its kind to succeed in the Roanoke Valley. The project partners for the Preservation of Tinker Mountain were Hollins University, the Western Virginia Water Authority, the Western Virginia Land Trust, and two private landowners, Lee Hartman Jr. and John W. Brandemuehl. |
Best Preservation of a Scenic Viewshed - Honorable Mention:
Brown & Williamson Conservation Easement |
A
coalition worked to preserve 262 acres along a one-mile stretch of the James River in Chesterfield County that qualifies for the Scenic River designation but is zoned industrial and so was threatened by development. The conservation of the property will enhance water quality in the James River while preserving significant wildlife habitat and magnificent views.
Project partners for the Brown & Williamson Conservation Easement were the Chesterfield County Parks & Recreation department, Friends of Chesterfield’s Riverfront, Virginia Outdoors Foundation, Brown & Williamson Company, Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation, DuPont Teijin, and Environmental Solutions. |
Best Preservation of a Scenic Water Corridor:
City
of Fredericksburg Rappahannock-Rapidan Conservation Easement |
Since
2001, Scenic Virginia has worked to monitor development and preserve viewsheds along the James River in Richmond. From this work, we know firsthand the importance of preserving riverfronts and river views, and we created this Award to recognize others who do the same. This year’s Award goes to the City of Fredericksburg Rappahannock-Rapidan Conservation Easement.
In
1968, the City of Fredericksburg acquired nearly 4,800 acres of land along the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers. During the intervening years, and with the support and encouragement of local conservation groups, neighboring localities, and resource agencies, the City Council has worked to preserve and protect this river corridor by effecting coordinated planning, addressing encroachments, and monitoring recreational access points
.
The
effort culminated in 2006 with the granting of a scenic easement on more than 4,200 acres to The Nature Conservancy and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. Additional partners included the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries and the Friends of the Rappahannock.
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Best Preservation of a Scenic Water Corridor - Honorable Mention:
The Goose Creek Scenic River Advisory Committee |
The
Honorable Mention in this category was given to the Goose Creek Scenic River Advisory Committee for its work along the Goose Creek Scenic River in Loudoun County from the Fauquier County line to the Potomac River.
Over
a period spanning nearly 30 years, the Goose Creek Scenic River Advisory Committee has created partnerships and cooperative working relationships and management that have preserved and conserved the corridor of the Creek. |
Best Creative Scenic Improvement:
The Captain John Smith Trail |
Scenic Virginia salutes the ability of the Commonwealth to utilize our natural, historic, cultural, and scenic resources in unique ways that revitalize the tourism and economic development prospects for Virginia localities. The Captain John Smith Water & Auto Trail, which runs along the James River from the Huguenot Bridge in Richmond to the James River Bridge at Newport News, is a shining example of that resourcefulness.
With
2007 in mind, the Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation, in conjunction with the Department of Historic Resources, Virginia Council on Indians, Virginia Tourism Corporation, Jamestown 2007, and the James River Association, developed this water trail and driving tour of 40 sites along our nation’s founding river.
Beautifully
designed and distinctive graphics were created for maps, a website, and markers to keep tourists on the right track as they explore this important part of our nation’s history.
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Best Creative Scenic Improvement - Honorable Mention:
Robert R. Reed Sr. Downtown Waterfront Park |
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Chincoteague Island, a public-private coalition undertook this project to convert an abandoned, unattractive seafood dock with a dilapidated bulkhead into a scenic walking park that boasts a pavilion, boat slips, and artwork depicting a Chincoteague pony. The resulting effort – the Robert R. Reed Sr. Downtown Waterfront Park -- was so drastic that Scenic Virginia felt it deserved special recognition . |
Best Local Anti-Litter Practices:
Assign-A-Highway Program |
Most
would agree that roadside litter detracts from the scenic beauty of Virginia. The first glimpse of the Commonwealth that many visitors experience is from our roads, making it vitally important that we find creative solutions to this problem. The Assign-A-Highway Program, founded by attorney Frank Kilgore and managed by the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable, is one such solution.
Under
the Assign-a-Highway program, probationers are utilized to pick up litter 26 times a year. Participation in the program is part of the probationer’s sentence, and a Litter Control Officer is assigned to monitor and facilitate the program. The results are cost savings for the locality, tons of trash collected to date, increased civic pride in residents, and more attractive roadways for our visitors to view. The original program has now expanded statewide to 12 localities, including Lee, Wise, Dickenson, Buchanan, Tazewell, Russell, Washington, Giles, Carroll, Henry, Hanover, and Accomack counties. |
Best Implementation of VDOT Tree-Trimming Policy:
Fredericksburg VDOT District |
Scenic Virginia’s successful legislation during the 2002 General Assembly Session led to the development of new statewide standards for the trimming of trees along Virginia’s roadsides. It is now the responsibility of the nine VDOT districts to implement the resulting policy approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board. Scenic Virginia developed this category to recognize a VDOT District that goes the extra mile to keep our roadsides scenic while still addressing objectives such as clearance, safety, and sight distance.
This year’s winner is the Fredericksburg VDOT District for developing and implementing new performance-based specifications for its tree-trimming program in an effort to improve workmanship and appearance.
Here's how it works:
Prior
to awarding a tree-trimming contract, and as part of the pre-bid conference, Roadside Manager Larry Morris talks to vendors and educates them about his District’s vision for the roads, noting that they are rural and should retain their natural setting. Emphasis is placed on proper pruning techniques, reduction in trimming heights, and trimming to retain the natural form of the tree species,while still addressing objectives such as clearance, safety, and sight distance in Stafford, Gloucester, King & Queen, Mathews, and Middlesex counties.
Vendors are given tree-trimming specs and asked how they would perform the work. Once the contract is awarded, VDOT allows the contractor to complete the work as specified. The final element in the success of performance-based contracts is that contractors are not paid if the results do not meet the stated objectives. |
Scenic Hero:
Friends of the Rappahannock |
Scenic Virginia reserves this honor for a citizen, elected official, or organization that has accomplished something extraordinary or that has a long history of work on scenic conservation issues. This year’s winner has done both.
The Friends of the Rappahannock is a non-profit grassroots conservation organization that has devoted more than 20 years to promoting the conservation, protection, and enjoyment of the natural, cultural, recreational, scenic, and historical values of the Rappahannock River and its tributaries through planning, education, and relationship-building.
Composed
of citizens from all walks of life whose common goal is to maintain the water quality and scenic beauty of the Rappahannock River and its tributaries, they have accomplished their mission by carefully and consistently teaching schoolchildren and real estate developers alike the value of beauty, clean water and the gifts of nature.
Two
major successes have been the removal in 2004-2005 of the Embrey Dam, making the Rappahannock the longest free-flowing river in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and, more recently, their grassroots campaign to convince the Fredericksburg City Council to place a conservation easement on 4,200 acres of land along the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers.
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Endangered Virginia Viewshed:
Panoramic View of the James River from Libby Hill Park in Richmond |
Scenic
Virginia selected the Panoramic View of the James River from Libby Hill Parkin Richmond as the 2006 Endangered Virginia Viewshed. This historic viewshed -- the basis for the naming of Richmond due to its resemblance to a view in Richmond-upon-Thames, England -- is currently threatened by a proposed riverfront development of massive height that would destroy what many consider the quintessential Richmond viewshed.
Since
the summer of 2006, Scenic Virginia has been rallying citizens and other organizations to join the opposition to the proposed development. Scenic Virginia firmly believes that a riverfront park is the best solution.
"The
view of the James River from Libby Hill Park is the quintessential Richmond view,” noted executive director Leighton Powell. “This is the view that gave Richmond its name, and it’s important that we preserve it. Scenic Virginia believes that a riverfront park is the best solution for retaining that magnificent view, preserving public access to the riverfront, and giving our citizens and tourists something wonderful to celebrate.
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