15,000 acres and counting: Explore the protected lands of the Potomac River
/Dive into an interactive story map to learn how we protect land
photo courtesy of William MacFarland, MacfarlandPhoto.net
What would a hike be without the view? If you’ve been on an adventure in Shenandoah National Park recently, you’ve probably appreciated the sweeping vistas from high points like Old Rag. But did you know that the land you love to look at is private property?
Protecting recreation and natural beauty is just one of the reasons Potomac Conservancy has been placing the lands of the Potomac River region under permanent protection for over 20 years.
To discover the other reasons why, meet the landowners making it possible, and explore the ecological riches contained within those more than 15,000 acres (from untouched forests to black bears and bat caves), dive into our interactive story map.
Planting new trees is only part of the solution when existing forests are disappearing faster than they can be replaced. Protecting existing forests, strengthening conservation efforts, and expanding restoration projects is needed to get the Potomac closer to an “A.”