Community Based Backyard Conservation for Wildlife in Loudoun County Virginia's Evergreen Rural Village- A Planned Residential Development

Centex Homes initiated the development of a wildlife management plan for Evergreen Rural Village, a planned residential development in Loudoun County, Virginia. The county's landscape has changed from rural to suburban in the past decade, prompting the need to integrate natural resource management into land planning processes. Centex Homes partnered with Virginia Tech to develop a long term management plan for wildlife living in and around the property that incorporates community outreach and resident education. Specific recommendations in this plan incorporate habitat enhancement projects designed for a 148-acre lot donated to Loudoun County Parks and Recreation Department and community outreach activities. The plan also specifies recommendations for managing buffer areas that exist within the perimeters of large "conservancy lots" of Evergreen, which measure approximately 20 acres to 108 acres, and consist of limited agricultural use. Lastly, the management plan includes recommendations for the design of small scale habitat enhancement projects for central village lots and low impact development sites. The management plan relies on the participation of community members to become environmental stewards of their own backyards and natural space. Recommendations from this management plan are designed for a wildlife management based covenant for the Home Owners Association.