By Patti Procopi, Williamsburg's Next Door Neighbors
August 2024
Dave Beals started life in East Tennessee, in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. “I was a hiker, a backpacker and an environmentalist from the beginning,” he says. After graduating with a mechanical engineering degree, Dave got hired at NASA Langley Research Center and moved to this area in 1986.
“From my first day of work, I was very excited,” he says. “Working for NASA is kind of a big deal.” Dave worked on many projects, including developing the needed technologies for going to Mars. Towards the end of his career, he ended up as the head of the climate science branch. “We had 27 world class climate scientists who worked in that branch, and they did amazing work on what is happening with our environment and the climate.”
After Dave retired in 2020, a random encounter while working on a trail behind his house led to a new career. “I was volunteering with the National Park Service and working on an abandoned picnic area when a neighbor walked by with a visitor.” That person was the director of the Colonial Soil and Water Conservation District.
“We got to talking about my interest in the environment and he told me they had a vacancy on the board for the Colonial district and asked if I might be interested.” At that time, he had never heard of this group but he eagerly joined since it mirrored his enthusiasm about conservation. “When I was interviewing to be appointed, I said I would love to be able to take the wealth of NASA science and get it down to a practical application level.”
The board positions are usually elected but Dave volunteered to fill the vacant Board member spot. “It was kind of nice to be able to step into it early because that way I got the chance to learn about the work of the district.” He served in this volunteer position until 2023 and then he had to run for the position. With the campaign slogan “Dave for Dirt,” he was elected and will serve until 2027.
The more he learned about the district, the more interested he became. Dave says the Soil and Water Conservation Districts came about during the Dust Bowl days. Bad farming practices depleted the soil and then the topsoil blew away, leading to massive crop failures. The Districts were created to teach farmers how to better care for the land.
In Virginia, there are 47 Soil and WaterConservation Districts. The Colonial District encompasses Charles City County, James City County, York County and the City of Williams-burg. They administer financial grants, provided by the state, to farmers to ensure that the farmers are following best practices. They have two major grant programs, one for agricultural and one for urban areas. Their biggest funding goes to agriculture. “This year we have already signed up about 1.6 million dollars for the agricultural program.”
Dave notes that the grants enable farmers to follow conservation practices aimed at conserving soil but also water, by reducing the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium runoff from fields into the bay. “One of the biggest metrics for success is how much runoff pollution is reduced through conservation,” he says. “The District encourages soil conservation by having farmers plant cover crops, which puts nitrogen back in the soil which reduces the amount of fertilizer needed and prevents those chemicals from leaching into the water. We provide grant money to farmers to plant these cover crops, to keep their soil covered, which enhances their soil and the environment at the same time.”
Dave notes the importance of this practice to our everyday lives. “Soil health is food health is people health, which is why our emphasis is on the soil.” The District also encourages no-till farming, which reduces disruption to the soil. “Between cover crops and no-till farming, you can increase the fertility of your soil without the use of fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides. It’s called regenerative farming.” The Conservation District believes that healthy soil results in healthier food and people.
The goal of the urban aspect of the program is also to teach people to have green, healthy lawns without chemicals. The Colonial Conservation District works closely with the Master Gardener program. “They’ve trained people they call lawn rangers, who will come out to your house, take samples of your soil and build you a nutrient management plan for your yard,” Dave says. Many people simply dump bags of fertilizer on their lawn and most of it runs off into drainage ditches and streams.
grants to put in flowering plants rather than lawn.” Another part of the urban program is to help people identify non-native species in their yards and encourage them to plant more native species. “We have grant money for native plantings.” They try to educate people about using pesticides in their yards to get rid of bugs. Birds eat bugs, so this practice decimates the bird population.
Another issue they deal with is runoff from asphalt driveways and side-walks. “It’s a major source of pollution. We have grants if you want to get rid of that asphalt and put in permeable pavement.” Depending on the size and the situation, the District can grant up to $30,000 to help a homeowner make the change. “A lot of homeowners can’t afford to do some of these things on their own but if you come to the District office and talk to our staff, they can find a way to help.
They are there, he says, to help farmers and homeowners who want to conserve the environment. Grant money is available to help with shore-line erosion on waterfront property. The district can help with creating living shorelines, which is quite different from just putting rip rap along the banks. According to Dave, letting marsh grasses grow in a protected way is the best method to preserve the shoreline. He admits that the problem with creating a living shoreline is the price. “But if you have erosion problems, we can provide up to $300,000 in assistance.”
Dave is frustrated because despite all the wonderful programs and grants they have, so many people have no idea who or what the Conservation District is. They recently hired an outreach coordinator who will help with this problem. “We are the best kept secret around.” They have over two million dollars in grant money to distribute to farmers and homeowners. “What other organization in our county can give out that kind of money?”
To help spread the word, the District conducts educational and conservation programs for the community. In 2023 they sponsored a team from Jamestown High School to attend the Dominion Energy Envirothon. That team went on to win the title of state champions. They also provided scholarships for three applicants to attend the Youth Conservation Camp at Virginia Tech. For six years they have partnered with the Williams-burg Community Growers, a nonprofit that operates a teaching farm and community garden in James City County. In 2023, they completed 91 nutrient management plans and held five educational events.
“The satisfaction I get out of being associated with the district is that we do a lot for the environment. I don’t know of any other local organization that puts so much money on the ground for local conservation,” Dave says.
The Conservation District has no regulatory authority. They don’t fine people and they don’t tax anybody. “Robyn Woolsey, one of the urban conservationists, came up with a great tag line: ‘We are all carrot, no stick,’ and it’s so true. If you want to work with us, we will give you money. But if you don’t want to work with us, that’s okay. We don’t turn anyone in.”
Dave Beals says they want people to reach out with questions about agriculture, the environment, or conservation and will help them find the resources they need.
“We take our role as environmental stewards seriously. This is neighbors helping neighbors.” NDN
“We’d also like to see more pollinator gardens and are looking for ways to give homeowners
Read more on the www.williamsburgneighbors.com webpage.
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