Richmond County Farm Protected Through Land Trust of Virginia’s Third Agricultural Land Easement

Richmond County, VA — August 27, 2026 — Land Trust of Virginia (LTV) is pleased to announce the protection of its 283rd conservation easement and third Agricultural Land Easement (ALE), in partnership with landowners Susan and Richard Gouldin, preserving approximately 110.616 acres of productive farmland, forests, wetlands, and waterways in Richmond County. 

Located approximately four miles south of Warsaw, Virginia, the Gouldin property consists of productive farmland, forested areas, wetlands, streams, and open space that contribute to the agricultural character and natural resources of Virginia's Northern Neck.

The easement protects some of the region's most valuable agricultural soils. Approximately 94% of the property is classified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as Prime Farmland or Farmland of Statewide Importance. Roughly half of the property is currently in active agricultural production, growing corn, soybeans, and rotating cover crops, and the land has remained in a consistent state of cropland and forestland for at least the past 50 years.

The property also provides important environmental benefits. Pecks Creek flows through the property before entering the Rappahannock River, and the land contains approximately 7 acres of wetlands, 20 acres of floodplain, and a 1.5-acre pond. These natural features help improve water quality and provide wildlife habitat within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

In addition, the property contributes to the protection of habitat associated with the federally and state endangered Atlantic sturgeon. The Rappahannock River near the mouth of Pecks Creek has been identified as a threatened and endangered waterway and documented habitat for the species.

"Working farms are an important part of what makes Virginia's rural communities special," said Ashton Cole, Executive Director of Land Trust of Virginia. "We're grateful to the Gouldin family for their commitment to protecting this land. This easement ensures that these productive fields, forests, wetlands, and waterways will remain part of the Richmond County landscape.”

"Conservation is ultimately about people choosing to leave something meaningful behind," said Ashton Cole, Executive Director of Land Trust of Virginia. "We're honored that the Gouldin family entrusted LTV with protecting this land and ensuring it remains a productive and beautiful part of the Northern Neck for years to come."

Assistance from Land Trust of Virginia's Malcolm Baldwin Farmers Fund helped offset stewardship costs associated with the easement. The fund was established to support the conservation of working farms and agricultural lands by helping landowners overcome financial barriers to permanent protection.

The protected property is situated within a landscape that already includes several nearby conservation easements held by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, the Northern Neck Land Conservancy, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, helping strengthen a growing network of protected lands in Richmond County.

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