Land Trust Success Stories: Tillie Wood relaxes at her cabin just off the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. Photo courtesy New River Land Trust GIS Decision-Support System Helps Land Trust Focus its Conservation Efforts VIRGINIA:  The New River Land Trust (NRLT) in Blacksburg has a powerful new tool to further its mission to conserve farmland, forests, open spaces and historic places in Virginia’s New River region. The implementation of a newly developed GIS Decision-Support System has enabled the land trust to gain a whole landscape perspective, and to be highly strategic in its approach to protecting the natural beauty and cultural heritage of southwest Virginia. More (posted 2/14/07) For more information on this and and other success stories, visit our Mid-Atlantic Success Stories Web Page.

Land Conservation Leadership Program Course: Diversity & Conservation: A New Model for the 21st Century
This introductory diversity and conservation pilot course provides participants with an understanding of what diversity is and what it means as a business and social imperative to the conservation movement. A major objective of the course is to explore individual, organizational, and movement filters that impact land trust efforts to develop a broader and more diverse community of conservationists. Participants will engage in small group exercises, personal journaling, case study discussions and large group open dialogues. Participants will be given the opportunity to develop an individual plan for building their own competence around diversity as well as organizational next steps. More information (posted 2/14/07)

Potomac Gorge Exhibit at the U.S. Botanic Garden
The U.S. Botanic Garden, the oldest botanic garden in North America, presents an exhibit focused on the natural beauty of the Potomac Gorge and what is being done to save it—and its vital resources—for future generations. Walk through a live sampling of the gorge's plant species and learn about the conservation efforts underway by the National Park Service, The Nature Conservancy, Potomac Conservancy, and others to protect this diverse section of our nation's river. To learn more about the U.S. Botanic Garden and the Potomac Gorge Exhibit, please visit the website: www.usbg.gov