Event to Help Landowners Decrease Pollution Scheduled for Saturday in Nokesville

The Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District will sponsor a Resources for Farmers and Landowners event on Saturday, Jan. 13, from 10 a.m. to noon at Hectors of Nokesville, located at 12846 Fitzwater Drive. The program is aimed to help homeowners with stormwater issues, tree and crop planting plans, technical assistance and soil conservation, which can all help prevent pollution from reaching the Chesapeake Bay.

“We want people to adopt measures that will help with the Chesapeake Bay,” said Virginia Cooperative Extension-Prince William Unit Extension Agent Thomas Bolles. “Conservation practices help reduce stormwater runoff. In doing that, they help the aquifers recharge. A number of these practices are also going to support wildlife.”

While the event will target landowners with five or more acres, homeowners with less land who attend will also benefit from information that will be provided by several local, state and federal agencies, including the Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District, Virginia Cooperation Extension – Prince William Unit, Virginia Cooperative Extension Small Farm Outreach Program, U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Farm Service Agency, Virginia Department of Forestry and the Virginia Farm Bureau.

“In a nutshell, we are trying to reach homeowners, as well as the five-to-10-acre rural lot landowners who are looking at options for their land, from erosion control on residential properties to starting an agricultural enterprise,” said Bolles. “We are going to have all the relevant agencies there to make sure folks are aware of the resources available to them so they can make informed land-use decisions. While most of the agency participants have an agricultural slant, this is a program for more than just farmers.”

Complimentary breakfast will be served. Registration is not required.