2025
Holding the land, losing the future: Farming experts say federal funding freeze threatens small Shenandoah Valley farms
By Ryan Fitzmaurice — Northern Virginia Daily | March 2025
After 10,000 years, let’s bury the plow
By Dana Milbank — The Washington Post | February 2025
2024
Across the Smithsonian, Researchers are Working Together to Save Virginia’s Birds
By Emma Saaty — Smithsonian Voices | September 2024
Native Warm-Season Grasses and Extreme Drought
By Bobby Whitescarver — Whiskey Creek Almanac | August 2024
‘Speed Dating’ is for the birds (and other critters)
By Bob Hurley — Foothills Forum / Rappahannock News | June 2024
Grassland Birds in Serious Decline: Can New Farming Practices Increase Numbers?
By Bob Hurley — Foothills Forum / Rappahannock News | June 2024
The Hardy Woods Podcast; Episode 1: Quail
Featuring Caty McVicker — Conservation Forests | June 2024
Students from other countries learn about conservation at Eldon Farms
By Justin Proctor & Rapp News Staff — Rappahannock News | June 2024
UPS Sponsors Conservation Speed-Dating Event in Unison
By Howard Lewis — Unison Preservation Society Newsletter | Spring 2024
Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative Collaborative
By Meg Schader — Cornell’s Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative | May 2024
Local non-profits and land trusts partner with NRCS to create more attractive opportunities for farmers to conserve at-risk grassland birds
By Justin Proctor — Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative Announcement | May 2024
Conservation Speed-Dating Workshop Guide
By Justin Proctor, October Greenfield, & Brooke McDonough — Cornell’s Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative | March 2024
Who’s Protecting the Piedmont?
By Sophia Chapin and Lauria McShane — The Piedmont Environmental Council | March 2024
2023
Expanding the Grassland Habitat Program
By Chris Anderson — Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley | November 2023
Return of the Grassland Birds: The Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative Supporting Bird-Friendly Practices on Working Lands
By October Greenfield — Cover story in Albemarle Magazine | October-November 2023
Partner Profile: American Farmland Trust
By Jacob Gilley — Featured in the Mountains-to-Bay Grazing Alliance Newsletter | October 2023
When a Farm Becomes a Classroom: Cultivating Conservation Leaders at the Eldon Farms Field Day
By Caitlyn Dittmeier — Featured on the VWL website | July 2023
Kestrels Revisited: Local Landowners Provide New Homes for the Small Falcons
By Bob Hurley — Featured in the Foothills Forum / Rappahannock News | May 2023
The Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative: QF on the Landscape in Virginia
By Celia Vuocolo — Featured on Quail Forever’s website | February 2023
Grasslands, Part of the Solution
By Matt Booher — Featured in the Mountains to Bay Grazing Alliance Newsletter | January 2023
2022
AMJV Technical Committee Digest Fall 2022
Appalachian Mountains Joint Venture
Program Offers Valley Farmers Money To Help Protect Birds
By Laura Boaggio — Featured in Daily News-Record | October 19, 2022
Virginia initiative pays farmers to protect grassland birds while nesting
By Randi B. Hagi — Featured in WEMC | October 19, 2022
Working Alongside Farmers to Bring Back Our Grassland Birds
By Justin Proctor — Featured in the Mountains-to-Bay Grazing Alliance Newsletter | October 2022
Making the Case for Bird-Friendly Farming
By Morgan Smith — Featured in The American Farmland Trust | September 30, 2022
Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative a ‘win-win’ for bird conservation and local farmers
By James Jarvis — Featured in Fauquier Now | October 3, 2022
Piedmont Grassland Bird Initiative: Working alongside farmers to bring back our grassland birds
By Justin Proctor — Featured in the VA Forager | September 1, 2022
Keeping Up With Kestrels
By Bob Hurley — Featured in the Rappahannock News | August 11, 2022
Saving America’s Littlest Falcon
By Emily Ellis — Featured by Oak Spring Garden Foundation | July 12, 2022
2021
Virginia program aims to foster grassland bird habitat on farms
By Whitney Pipkin — Featured in the Bay Journal | November 19, 2021
Hope on the horizon for local grassland birds
By Whitney Pipkin — Featured in the Bay Journal | November 19, 2021
Grassland Birds: A little knowledge can go a long way in helping these amazing birds survive and thrive
By Justin Proctor — Featured in the Piedmont View | September 17, 2021
2020
In Virginia’s Piedmont Grasslands: A Firmer Foothold For Declining Birds
By Amy Johnson and David Wiedenfeld — Featured by the American Bird Conservancy | December 18, 2020