The Nature Generation Awards Gina Faber the 2016 McGranaghan Stewardship Award

The Nature Generation Awards Gina Faber the 2016 McGranaghan Stewardship

Award

Environmental nonprofit organization The Nature Generation established the

McGranaghan Stewardship award to recognize volunteers who help care for and

enhance the habitat, educate the next generation about the habitat, and

encourage youth to be good stewards. This year, the award was presented to

Gina Faber at the Hail to the Trail event on Sunday, November 6, 2016.

Mrs. Faber was given the award for her dedication and enthusiasm in

volunteering at the Chapman DeMary Trail. Over the past year, she has helped

students, youth groups, scouts, and other volunteers who have come to the

trail for field trips and trail enhancements. During events at the trail,

she has led nature hikes and shown kids what to look for at the trail, how

to identify plants, and how to plant plants so they will thrive. She has

also dedicated hours to help with projects that include enhancing the

pollinator plot and working with students on a project to reduce the

negative impact of invasive plants in the habitat. Her passion for plants

and caring for habitats come through in all the ways she helps at the trail

and teaches the next generation.

Mrs. Faber learned how much she enjoyed sharing her love of nature with

children during her time as a preschool assistant teacher at the Loudoun

Valley Community Center in Purcellville with "Mr. Garth" Adams, who was a

role model for her. When she became a Virginia Cooperative Extension Master

Gardener in 2011, she built on that enthusiasm by revitalizing and

co-chairing the Children's Education Team for several years. She is also an

active member in Loudoun Environmental Stewardship Alliance (LESA) and the

Green Team of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Loudoun (UUCL).

She is a talented musician who has played all over the county as a classical

and tradition music performer on percussion, mandolin and guitar. She owns

her own edible landscaping company and has recently started a gluten-free

baking business, Gina's Pies.

Mrs. Faber grew up in Virginia Beach, VA, graduating from University of

Virginia with degrees in Math and Math Education. She has lived in Loudoun

County since 1988. She currently lives is Round Hill with husband Joe and

daughter Julia who attends JMU. Her hobbies include music, nature,

gardening, meditation, cooking, knitting, environmental activism and

reading.

The McGranaghan Stewardship Award is named after Loudoun Valley High School

Environmental Explorations teacher Liam McGranaghan. He demonstrates what it

means to be a good steward of the environment with his students and with the

community through his work at the Chapman DeMary Trail and other areas. He

and his students were instrumental in establishing the nature trail and

serve as stewards of the area. To learn more about the trail and this award,

visit www.NatGen.org <http://www.NatGen.org> .