The Virginia Conservation Network’s Land & Water Policy Manager was featured in Charlottesville’s The Daily Progress calling on all levels of government to support Virginia’s cleanup plan and increase pollution reductions in the face of climate change.

I have spent the past 22 years of my life as a Central Virginian working to protect the rivers and creeks that provide sustenance to America’s largest estuary — Chesapeake Bay.

From our state’s breadbasket in the Shenandoah Valley to the tidal guts of the Eastern Shore, the sweet oysters of the Rappahannock to the rich history of the James, Virginia rivers and streams are primary assets that make this an incredibly rich place to call home.

Chesapeake and its tributaries also represent a critical natural resource for the commonwealth. This true national treasure strongly influences the well-being of Virginians and bolsters Virginia’s economy by providing over $41 billion in ecosystem services every year.