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ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ Agricultural Preserve Exhibition at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ Celebrates 54 Years of Stewardship

Volker Eisele

Volker Eisele

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ will host the exhibition β€œΒιΆΉΣ³»­ Agricultural Preserve,” opening Monday, August 8 and running through Saturday, October 15, 2022.

The multimedia exhibit, which will be on view in the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ McCarthy Library lobby, showcases the 54-year history of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­β€™s Agricultural Preserve and provides information about its key players, why and how it was initiated, the major challenges and successes of the last 50 years and a view into its future priorities and anticipated challenges. The exhibition will be on view weekdays (except holidays) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The β€œΒιΆΉΣ³»­ Agricultural Preserve” exhibition is presented with the support of the Jack L. Davies ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ Agricultural Land Preservation Fund and was originally created in partnership with the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ Museum.  The new installation of the Ag Preserve Exhibit at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ celebrates the establishment of the Volker Eisele Scholarship. The scholarship, which honors the legacy of long-time ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ land protection advocate and vintner Volker Eisele, will provide annual scholarships through the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ Foundation to students pursuing agricultural studies at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­. The scholarships will be awarded by the at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­β€™s scholarship ceremony each year.

Created in April 1968, the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ Agricultural Preserve became America’s first agricultural preserve and is one of the primary reasons the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ became a premier preserved world-famous wine-growing region and will remain so for generations to come. For more than 54 years, hundreds of winegrowers, vintners, local leaders and residents have worked to protect and preserve the natural beauty and agricultural profile of the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ with the creation and continued support of the Ag Preserve.  

In the mid-1960s, local leaders and voters overcame initial dissent to prioritize agriculture as the best use of Napa County land. The landmark ruling was passed by the Napa County Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors in 1968. From there, the new statute inspired a succession of other progressive land-use policies to protect local farmlands from encroaching development. Today, 31,609 acres of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ Ag Preserve farmlands are protected from urbanization until at least the year 2058. For additional information on the Ag Preserve, visit .

The ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ McCarthy Library is located in the 1700 building at 2277 Napa-Vallejo Highway in Napa.

About Jack L. Davies ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ Agricultural Land Preservation Fund

In 2003, recognizing their mutual commitment to preserving the agricultural lands and heritage that are fundamental to Napa County’s rural character, the Jack L. Davies Agricultural Land Preservation Fund, the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ Foundation and the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ Agricultural Land Preservation Fund united to establish The Jack L. Davies ΒιΆΉΣ³»­ Agricultural Land Preservation Fund. In 2022, the Fund created the Volker Eisele Scholarship, named in honor of vintner and former JLD Ag Fund board member Volker Eisele, who passed away in 2015.  Guided by a volunteer board of directors, the JLD Ag Fund operates under the premise that only an educated electorate can protect the integrity of the land. It is dedicated to a mission of preserving, protecting and promoting agricultural land in Napa County.

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