By Steve Hunt
Alexandria, VA – Huntington resident Cathy Ledec was recently recognized by Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck for her years of dedication to protecting trees and the environment in Mount Vernon District and throughout Fairfax County.
“Cathy is a tree warrior and force of nature – by being a force for nature, with an intensity and focus that is truly remarkable, and she has served our natural world extremely well. She is a strong community activist with a focus on environmentalism. Her achievements are not just volunteering, but also organizing, motivating others, demonstrating leadership, and serving as a role model and mentor,” said Storck.
Ledec served on the Fairfax County Tree Commission since 2016 and as chair since January 2019, until she recently stepped down because she plans to move out of the area. As chair, Ledec led the creation of the 2019 Fairfax County Tree Action Plan to manage, improve and grow our urban forest. The plan was approved by the Board of Supervisors and led to the institution of the Community of Practice in 2020.
She served on the Friends of Huntley Meadows Park since 2010 and as its elected president since 2012. She also volunteered with the Resource Management Division of the County Park Authority assigned to Huntley Meadows, educating the public on the importance of being good environmental stewards and contributing to data collection supporting scientific research. Cathy led countless cleanups, invasive species removals, bird counts, and nature walks and organized volunteers for many other park activities.
Cathy Ledec has received multiple awards and been recognized by many organizations for her work, including the Sally Ormsby Environmental Stewardship Award (2020), Fairfax County’s Environmental Excellence Award, and Fairfax County Federation’s Citizen of the Year (2019), named Lady Fairfax for service in the natural landscaping project at the Mount Vernon Governmental Center (2018), and the Virginia Recreation and Parks Society’s Distinguished Volunteer Service Award (2015).
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