Acre by acre, year by year, Virginia’s natural heritage—rolling
countryside and rich farmlands, deep forests and teeming wetlands—is
vanishing.
But it doesn’t have to disappear.
We are the Land Trust of Virginia, working with members and other
organizations, state agencies and county governments, to preserve
Virginia’s natural gifts — forever.
Now select a topic to learn more about:
Who we are
What we do
Why it's important
Who we are:
LTV members and volunteers hail from all parts of Virginia and
include people who:
- Want to permanently protect their land's irreplaceable natural
resources,
- Support fiscally responsible conservation efforts, and
- Donate their time, expertise, and resources to preserving the
history and beauty of Virginia's countryside.
Our distinguished Board of Directors includes prominent Virginians who
are widely known for their dedication to historical preservation and conservation.
2006-2007 Board of Directors:
Chairman: Jim Rich, Esq., Middleburg
President:
Turner Smith, Esq., Middleburg
Vice President: Birge Watkins,
Warrenton
Registered Agent: Phil
Paschall, Esq., Waterford
Treasurer: Steffanie Burgevin, Waterford
Secretary: Merritt Jones, Esq., Middleburg
Christopher Dematatis, Paris
Patric Copeland, Purcellville
Ms. Allen Ohrstrom, The Plains
Linda Porter, Leesburg
Henry "Duffy" Rathbun, Esq., Middleburg
Edie Smart, Upperville
Patricia Ewing
Childs Burden
Richard Farland
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What we do:
Using a legal tool called a permanent
conservation
easement, the Land Trust of Virginia helps landowners to
voluntarily limit development while keeping the land open
for forestry, farming, and recreation. In most cases, the property
remains in private ownership with the peace of mind that it is
protected now and forever.
More specifically, the Land Trust of Virginia:
|
Working with
our members and volunteers, state agencies and other conservation
organizations, the Land Trust of Virginia preserves thousands
of acres of Virginia's open spaces — forever.
Join us |
When we see land as a community
to which we belong, we may begin
to use it with love and respect.
—Aldo Leopold |
LTV and local governments
One of the most productive aspects of the Land Trust of Virginia's protection
program is our work with local governments that are interested in constructing
an easement policy or working together on projects and co-holding the
resultant easements. The Board of Directors offers technical help in acquiring
land or obtaining funding for land acquisitions that are generally consistent
with the mission of LTV.
Other LTV conservation activities
The Land Trust of Virginia has a number of active and proposed conservation
projects designed, in a strategic way, to save and preserve the best of
our scenic and historic landscapes. We are always looking for individual,
group, or corporate donors who want to make a major commitment to one
or more of the programs. For more information on how you can help, please
contact us.
Additional LTV conservation projects
Statewide projects
- Appalachian Trail Buffer Initiative. Designed to protect properties
that are contiguous with the trail and have significant scenic value,
and/or provide a natural buffer between the trail and developed areas.
- Battlefield Protection Initiative. Designed to protect properties
adjacent to or historically related to Revolutionary War and Civil War
battlefields.
- First Families of Virginia Heritage Initiative. Designed to protect
properties of historical significance to descendants of the "first
families" and all Virginians. Provides a charitable outlet for
those descendants or interested genealogists who want to contribute
directly and tangibly to the memory of an ancient ancestor.
- Habitat Corridors Project. Designed to encourage wildlife and plant
corridors linking open space conservation areas for the preservation
of species diversity.
- Hunt Country Conservation Area. Designed to protect properties that
are in the area commonly referred to as Virginia's "Hunt Country."
- Rural Bed & Breakfast Preservation Initiative.
This statewide program is designed to assist conservation-minded
Bed & Breakfast proprietors whose accommodations are situated
on large parcels of scenic or agricultural land (20 acres and
up) and who are concerned about the future of these undeveloped
holdings. Ultimately, a long-term goal of this program is to
provide assistance for people interested in opening a rural
Bed & Breakfast.
- Scenic Waterways Initiative. Designed to protect properties along
Virginia's great rivers or in the greater watershed.
- Scenic By-Ways Initiative [Proposed]. Designed to protect properties
along the "view shed" of Virginia's state or federally designated
scenic roads.
Local projects
- Greenway Rural Historic District, Clarke County. Designed to protect
properties that are in the RHD-designated area or contiguous with it.
- Plantation Row /James River Corridor, Route 5. Designed to protect
properties along the "view shed" of one of Virginia's most
beautiful scenic roads.
- Catoctin Rural Historic District, Loudoun County [Proposed]. Designed
to protect properties that are in the RHD-designated area or contiguous
with it.
- Southwest Mountains Rural Historic District, Albemarle & Orange
Counties [Proposed]. Designed to protect properties that are in the
RHD-designated area or contiguous with it.
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Why it's important
Cricket Whitner
"I was born and raised here on this farm, and sadly my father died
in a tragic accident, and left us trying to figure out how we could keep
this farm in the family. We wanted to do whatever we could to keep it,
and a conservation easement to the county seemed to be the best way to
do it. The easement has helped us tremendously—we wouldn't have
been able to keep the farm without it.
"The upkeep of a farm is tremendous, and when we heard about the
conservation easement program, it seemed ideal for us—a cash influx
to help us keep the farm and a way to keep the farm as a rural open space
into perpetuity."
Priscilla Rogers
"I bought this land in easement, and if it hadn't been,
I would've put it in easement because I think it's important to keep this
countryside open for future generations. I think it's a very worthwhile
thing to do for the community."
Linda Porter
"Putting our land in easement meant a great deal to us, and it really
was a straight-forward process. The key was for us to figure out exactly
what we wanted out of the easement. And then getting some help from the
Land Trust and following their process wasn't difficult at all.
"I think all of us want to leave a legacy, if we can. And being
able to leave land that's going to be open into perpetuity for
everybody to enjoy and to serve as a habitat, there just isn't
anything better that you can do."
John Zugschwert
"I bought this property six years ago for the beautiful
view and also because of the history that was associated with
it. About 150 years ago, this country had a little discussion
on how it was going to stay together, and one of the deciding
battles of the Civil War was fought right here on this property.
"Because of the easement, I know that the property isn't
going to get torn up, it will be here into perpetuity. That's
a tough thing to do in this day and age, but I think it's something
worthwhile to do for those who will follow us."
Eugene Scheel,
Virginia historian and map maker
"I think we've got to preserve this area — it's our heritage."
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