Bull Run Mountains Conservancy

"My first experience with caddisflies was as a thirteen-year-old participant in the Chesapeake Watershed Workshop. Sitting on the bank and trying not to go cross-eyed while I sifted through a sample, I noticed a small clump of pebbles moving slowly. Holding up the tiny thing with a pair of tweezers, I realized to my surprise there was an insect in the middle of the pebbles. It was a case-building caddisfly." - Anna Ritter, Research Director

Ever since 1994, individuals like Anna Ritter have explored natural resources surrounding the Bull Run Mountains through educational programs offered by the Bull Run Mountains Conservancy. The Bull Run Mountains, which span approximately fifteen miles from Loudon County to Fauquier County, are a vital habitat to white oaks, Northern long eared bats, and damselflies. The Bull Run Mountains also include headwaters to the Occoquan and Goose Creek watersheds, which, collectively, drain into more than 950 square miles. Through careful research and stewardship, the Bull Run Mountains Conservancy works to preserve and improve natural resources so that children, teens, and adults alike can enjoy nature’s beauty.