Land Trust of Virginia Protects 51-acre Finan Property in Fauquier County

Easement marks LTV’s 279th conservation success and brings 2025 total to 1,702 acres conserved

Warrenton, VA — December 30, 2025 — Land Trust of Virginia (LTV) is proud to announce the permanent protection of the 50.9-acre Finan Property in Fauquier County through a donated conservation easement. This milestone easement is LTV’s 279th to date and brings the organization’s total acreage conserved in 2025 to 1,702 acres across Virginia, and 36,942 acres overall.

Located just southwest of the Town of Warrenton and with significant associated development, the Finan Property retains strong agricultural, scenic, and natural resource values. Approximately two-thirds of the property is actively used for hay production, with the remaining acreage consisting of open fields, forested areas, and water resources that contribute to the region’s rural character and environmental health.

Nearly 75 percent of the property’s soils are classified as either Prime Farmland or Farmland of Statewide Importance, making the land well-suited for long-term agricultural use. The property also contains a pond, a tributary to Turkey Run, and healthy stream buffers that protect water as it makes its way to the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

“This easement is a great example of how land conservation can support working landscapes while protecting important natural resources,” said Ashton Cole, Executive Director of Land Trust of Virginia. “By choosing to permanently protect their land, the Finan family is helping ensure that Fauquier County’s agricultural heritage and open spaces remain part of the community, in an area that might otherwise be converted into high-density development.”

The property is near other conserved lands held by organizations, including the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and Fauquier County, and the Finan easement strengthens a network of conserved land in central Fauquier and aligns with county planning goals to preserve environmentally sensitive areas and critical open spaces.

Through the conservation easement, future subdivision and development are permanently restricted, safeguarding the property’s agricultural productivity, scenic open space, and natural resources. The easement ensures the land can continue to be responsibly managed and used for agriculture while remaining protected for future generations.