Land Trust of Virginia Protects 107-Acre Forest Property in Albemarle County

Albemarle County, VA — December 31, 2025 — Land Trust of Virginia (LTV) is proud to announce the permanent protection of the 107.34-acre Forest Property in Albemarle County through a donated conservation easement by landowners Todd and Christy Forest.

Located approximately ten miles west of Charlottesville, and five miles south of Crozet in western Albemarle County, the Forest Property is a predominantly forested, mountainous landscape that contributes significantly to the region’s scenic, environmental, and open-space values. The property lies within the watersheds of the Moormans River, Mechums River, Rivanna River, and ultimately the James River and Chesapeake Bay, and the easement helps safeguard downstream water quality and ecological health.

Nearly all of the property consists of forest ranked by the Virginia Department of Forestry as especially valuable for conservation. The easement also protects interior woodland trails, a pond, and a robust stream with healthy natural buffers. The property is highly visible and stretches up toward the peak of Sprouse Mountain.

In addition to its natural resources, the Forest Property includes notable historic features: a cabin dating to the 18th or 19th century, protected with no-demolition provisions, and a historic cemetery associated with the Sprouse family, with headstones dating back to at least the 1800s.

“This conservation easement ensures that the Forest Property’s scenic value, forests, water resources, and historic character will be preserved forever,” said Ashton Cole, Executive Director of Land Trust of Virginia. “We are deeply grateful to Todd and Christy for their vision and generosity in protecting this special place for future generations.”

The property is surrounded by a growing network of conserved lands held by the Land Trust of Virginia, Albemarle County, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the protection of the Forest Property strengthens regional conservation efforts.

This easement was supported in part by Land Trust of Virginia’s Mars Blue Ridge Conservation Fund, which helps advance land conservation projects that protect the natural and cultural resources of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains and their surrounding landscapes.

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