HCAN seeks more prominent role in community

The Henrico Conservation Action Network held its monthly meeting and first of the year Jan. 17 to discuss zoning issues, new bills, and future plans.

HCAN aims to raise Henrico citizens' awareness of conservation actions they can complete on their own and inform them of actions taking place in their community.

Last week, the group briefly discussed the passing of two bills, HB 1998 and HB 2096, the former detailing the state’s desire to use native plant species on state property, and the latter making the movement or transmission of noxious weeds throughout the state legal. Along with protecting historical and environmental properties, agriculture is one of the group’s main interests. Group members also discussed mapping conservation in Henrico County.

Guest speaker Parker Agelasto, the executive director of the Capital Region Land Conservancy (a non-profit dedicated to conservation efforts within the Richmond region) told attendees that environmental advocacy would require a team effort.

“We don’t do it by ourselves – we do it as a community,” Agelasto said.

Incorporated in 2005, the Capital Region Land Conservancy is the only land trust designed to protect land in the region and to date has protected more than 13,000 acres of land.

“We look at everything,” Agelasto said. “It’s important that historical and land resources are treated equally.”

HCAN President Lynn Wilson spoke about her hopes for this year, including a desire to become a more active voice in the community.

“We want to be a stronger presence than we have in the past,” Wilson said.

The board’s climate action plan was introduced by leader Beth Kreydatus. A lengthy process, the plan is finally being solidified, she said, as part of a process that has involved meeting with Henrico supervisors and designing visuals.

“We hope to create an infographic to show how a climate action plan may work,” Kreydatus said.

Richmond published a climate equity plan, Kreydatus said, which shows proposals to help residents reduce carbon emissions and cope with already-occurring consequences of climate change. While that plan has some elements that HCAN hopes to implement into its plan, there are also some differences, she said, since Richmond is a city and Henrico a county.

Henrico currently has only 6.4% of protected land, a low percentage, but still larger than the percentages of that in Hanover and Richmond.