More than 16,000 Acres Put Under Easement in 2007

Landowner donations made 2007 another impressive year for conservation easements both in the Valley region and across Virginia. Virginia is now 55% of the way toward achieving the goal of 400,000 new acres in easement in four years, with two years left to go. More than 69 easements were recorded in the Valley region by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF), totaling over 16,000 acres. Although the number of VOF easements in the Valley region decreased 30% due to VOF’s tightening restrictions on minimum parcel size, the average size of Valley easements increased to keep the new acreage going into conservation easements strong.

One of the trends in easements that continued in 2007 is the increasing number of organizations that are actively working and conserving land in the Valley. In addition to VOF, seven other organizations held easements in the Valley last year, generating an additional _ easements and _ acres. VCC accepted new responsibility for 10 easements totaling 1,785 acres, in conjunction with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. Our friends at Western Virginia Land Trust also joined VOF to co-hold easements in Botetourt County.

Easement Holder

Acreage

# of Easements

Counties

Dept. of Conservation and Recreation

115

3

Augusta, Clarke

Potomac Conservancy

77

1

Shenandoah

Department of Historic Resounces

290

4

Augusta , Frederick, Bath, Page

Ward Burton Nature Foundation

68

1

Augusta

Warren County

756

1

Warren

The Virginia Outdoors Foundation

16159

69

All

Total

17465

79

 

 

Conservation Easements in Valley Region- all organizations

County

2007 Easements

2007 Acres

Cumulative Acres

Alleghany

1

0

386

Augusta

11

2,333

2,333

Bath

5

1,395

1,715

Botetourt

6

2,372

2,372

Clarke

2

285

285

Frederick

1

209

209

Highland

5

3,282

3,282

Page

1

272

272

Rockbridge

27

5,126

6,277

Rockingham

3

349

349

Shenandoah

1

73

73

Staunton (City)

1

3

3

Warren

5

459

823

VCC Region

69

16,159

18,381

Virginia

220

60,175

449,891