Shipman
Nelson County, Virginia

On Thursday, May 1st, The Sierra Club be awarded an Earth Flag to outstanding environmentalist Susan McSwain. The award will took place at her home in Shipman of Nelson County.

Ms. McSwain has been a shining light in promoting sustainability and nature education in Nelson County. It’s impossible to sum up her work and achievements, but here’s one indication: Her work with the Master Naturalists earned her the recognition as Virginia Master Naturalist Volunteer of the Year in 2016.

It’s hard to describe everything she’s done in the twenty-five years since she and her husband moved here, but here are a few highlights:

-Solid Waste and Recycling: Susan and a friend surveyed the County’s garbage collection system and developed a report showing that Nelson could save money, increase recycling and improve the beauty of the area by creating gated, staffed sites that also reduced trash coming from other counties. In addition, as a result of her efforts, Nelson became the first county in Virginia to offer Re-Use Sheds at Collection Sites.

-Land Conservation: As a County-appointed volunteer on the Thomas Jefferson Water Resources Protection Foundation, she helped to promote open space easements on land to protect land surrounding riparian areas. After that she volunteered with the Central VA Land Conservancy which holds conservation easements in five counties; in 2024 they helped landowners place more than 1,000 acres under conservation easements.

-Butterflies and Moths: Susan has been leading annual butterfly counts since 2011 and this year The North American Butterfly Association sponsors annual butterfly counts at some 450 count circles established throughout the continent. Susan began participating with the count circle in Nelson in 2004, and in 2011, she became the count leader. This year will be her 15th year of organizing volunteers to count butterflies as part of this effort and she has verified the existence of more than 400 species of butterflies and moths in Nelson County.

-Birds: In 2014, Susan started one of several Bluebird Trails in Nelson that are monitored according to the parameters set out by the VA Bluebird Society. She and other volunteers collect data, and the nesting boxes on the trails have resulted in an increase of the number of Bluebirds in Nelson County. She also maintains one of three towers built in Nelson for the protection of Chimney Swifts, a species of bird that has declined an estimated 67% since 1970. In addition to her own Swift Tower, several years ago, Susan discovered that Chimney Swifts were using an old chimney at the County Courthouse as a roosting site. During renovations on the Courthouse, she alerted County staff and elected officials about the birds, and the original plan to seal off the chimney was averted. She organized several Swift Nights Out for people to come view swifts as they congregated above the Courthouse chimney at dusk.

-Lots More Stuff: Susan’s work has been instrumental in the Sturt Nature Preserve Park, the Ag/Forestal Districts Advisory Committee, the fight against the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and the Wintergreen Nature Foundation.
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The Piedmont Group of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club awards Earth Flags to unsung volunteers who make a difference in protecting nature in our area.

Sierra Club leaders Donna Shaunesey and Scott Ziemer will presented the award.

Congrats Susan – Well Done!