RCE Shenandoah Valley - Introduction and Overview
- 1. Shenandoah Valley RCE Virginia, United States
- 5. The Shenandoah Valley RCE • The total area of is 7,943 km2; • An estimated population of 317,000; • The valley is classified as a rural area; however, 25% of the RCE population lives in the two cities of Harrisonburg (population 50,000) and Staunton (population 25,000).
- 6. The partners • Bridgewater College • Eastern Mennonite University • International Beliefs and Values Institute • James Madison University • Mary Baldwin University
- 7. Commitments
- 8. The mission: Fostering collaborative partnerships for a sustainable Shenandoah Valley. A sustainable Shenandoah Valley preserves and enhances our unique educational, social, environmental, and economic resources to ensure the future well-being of Valley residents and our children.
- 9. The people • 42 different languages spoken in Harrisonburg schools; • Refugee population has doubled in Harrisonburg in the last 6 years; • A large community or Old Order Mennonites live in the valley; • While the cities are somewhat racially diverse, the counties are overwhelmingly White; • Vocal members of the community have expressed concerns about government “intrusion” and what role the UN is trying to play in the region.
- 10. The region
- 12. The region
- 13. Concerns • Conserving the unique agricultural, geographic, architectural, and cultural features • Shenandoah River
- 14. The Atlantic Coast Pipeline • Won’t pipe down: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92mf_uBjrE0
- 17. Local challenges • As a watershed, the region continues to confront major issues with respect to local surface water quality and runoff to the Chesapeake Bay. • The region is urbanizing with land values rising. Changing land use patterns have resulted in continued loss of agricultural land, open space, and natural areas. • Maintaining the rural history and culture of the region is a challenge with industrial, commercial, and agricultural development threats.
- 18. Local challenges cont. • Small family farms are becoming increasingly non-competitive because of global forces and corporate agriculture. • The increasing diversity of the region requires cross-cultural competency and more effective integration. • Poverty threatens the well-being not just of the poor, but our communities at large.
- 19. What’s next… • Identify theme and community priorities • Stakeholder Circle • Regional Sustainability Award