Rationale for Area of Study


The area that I am focusing on is Rockingham County, Virginia. Rockingham County is considered by many to be the epicenter of agriculture in Virginia and has a number of issues around conservation including water quality, lack of biodiversity (in some areas), and lack of responsible land management. All of these issues can stem from agriculture or other intensive land uses.

Aside from being interested in this area due to the challenges it faces, I also work full-time as an affiliate employee of USDA-NRCS where we cover Rockingham and Page counties. I know that my experience working in this area will make for an encompassing look into biodiversity and will give me direction to research and learn more about the area I serve and the challenges it faces. 

As I’ve stated above, there are serious environmental issues that this county faces. I know from previous research, that there are studies that look into the Shenandoah Valley and cover many different things from water quality to implementation of agricultural Best Management Practices. Biodiversity can play a beneficial role in remediating both of the challenges mentioned above so by deepening my understanding of the level of biodiversity currently seen in the area, I will be better equipped to do my part in creating a cleaner environment. 

Picture obtained from Wiki Commons.


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