Yippee! I had written about this a few months ago – see THIS POST. I actually was going to ditch my membership to the American Horticultural Society if they sold River Farm. I doubt they would have cared one way or the other, but I cared.

I was nervous because recently I saw this headline:

But then… I saw THIS:

Excellent. I actually emailed these people. I didn’t even receive a generic acknowledgment. Now I am not some important personage, but if someone pays dues and is a member of your organization, acknowledge it.

Five AHS Board Members Resign Over River Farm Sale Disagreement

Half the board resigned from AHS after being unable to come to any agreement regarding the future of the property.

by Alexandria Living Magazine StaffSEP. 30, 2021

📌📝The five board members of the American Horticultural Society who were in favor of selling the 27-acre River Farm property along the Potomac River have all resigned.

The Washington Post first reported on the mass resignation of the board members and others. “Attorney John T. Richards Jr. said he received emailed copies of letters submitted by AHS Board Chair Terry Hayes and four other board members announcing their resignation, effective Thursday. Their names were also absent from the AHS website. Several staff members, including interim director J. Robert Brackman, also resigned, Richards said,” according to The Washington Post.

The following email was sent Thursday evening to the supporters of Save River Farm, a campaign led by the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust:

Today’s news of the resignation of the American Horticultural Society’s Executive Director, Board Chair, and several additional board members is an important step towards our collective goal of protecting River Farm for all time.

Over the past few months, the divisions that existed on AHS’ board had prevented them from moving forward as an organization, and hopefully that changes now. We are excited to work together with the new leadership of AHS to support them and to ensure that River Farm remains an incredible community asset that honors the cultural, historical, and natural legacy it represents.

— Save River Farm Committee Chair/NVCT Executive Director, Alan Rowsome📌📝