Downtown Greens was awarded the Steward of the Year Award by the Land Trust of Virginia (LTV) for its conservation efforts of the upper and lower gardens in the City of Fredericksburg. The award was given at the Land Trust’s 26th Annual Garden Party on May 5, held in Middleburg.
“The conservation easement of our 2.8-acre parcel in the City of Fredericksburg through the Land Trust of Virginia in 2015 has provided us with a solid foundation to provide nature education and outdoor green space in an urban setting,” said Jim Schepmoes, executive director of Downtown Greens.
“With that foundation in place, we were able to launch an ambitious capital fundraising campaign in 2021 to purchase a pristine 56-acre parcel of land in the city that was slated for commercial development, giving us now a total of nearly 60 acres of urban green space.”
According to the Land Trust, the Downtown Greens property is one of LTV’s most unique easements. “This organization is the embodiment of an excellent steward of the land. Not only do they steward the rare bit of green space still left in the city of Fredericksburg, they also take care of their community by providing resources and educating future generations on the importance of the land and our environment.”
Downtown Greens was established in 1995 and has a mission to enhance the well-being of our community, by connecting people with nature through education and the preservation of green spaces.
