On a gorgeous September morning, a group of about 20 people joined TOW on a walk in the Abrams Creek Wetlands Preserve in the city of Winchester. Standing by the sign for the city’s first nature preserve on its 20th anniversary, leader Woody Bousquet described the green heron that became the icon for the preserve and showed brochures about the area.

On June 17, TOW hosted three events on Opequon Creek: a float trip, a picnic, and a water quality monitoring demonstration. All were based at Fiddler’s Bottom, the home of Deb and Steve Bauserman, located east of Ridgeway, West Virginia.

In 2004, portions of the Redbud Run watershed in eastern Frederick County, Virginia were set aside for conservation. But while acquiring land is essential, it is only the beginning of long-term protection.