Photo by Will Parson, Chesapeake Bay Program.

*Press Release*

Continued Interest in Land Conservation in 2017

Data compiled by The Piedmont Environmental Council shows a total of 401,200 acres have been protected in Albemarle, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock Counties by landowners working together with land trusts and public agencies. The total includes 6,237 acres added in 2017.

“Conservation easements help protect our local food supply, secure sources of water for the future, provide areas for wildlife habitat and preserve important historic and cultural sites,” said Chris Miller, President of PEC. “People love the rural character of the region and protecting the land is a way for them to take action and ensure that future generations will enjoy the same benefits.”

An easement is a voluntary agreement between a landowner and a land trust (such as a public agency or a non-profit conservation group like PEC) to permanently protect natural, scenic and cultural resources on their land.

“The success of conservation in the Piedmont reflects the appreciation hundreds of families and other landowners have for this region, which is demonstrated through a true commitment to the long-term protection of the resources that make this a special place,” said Michael Kane, Director of Conservation at PEC. “Fortunately, through programs like Virginia’s Land Preservation Tax Credit, there is a set of financial incentives that make it possible for landowners across the state to act on their love of the land through the donation of a conservation easement.”

Conservation easements help protect our local food supply, secure sources of water for the future, provide areas for wildlife habitat and preserve important historic and cultural sites

In total, conservation easements in the nine counties have protected approximately:

• 1,658 miles of streams;
• 9,839 acres of wetlands;
• 26,217 acres adjacent to scenic rivers;
• 189,965 acres of prime farmland soils;
• 189,265 acres of forests;
• 107,303 acres along scenic byways;
• 120,916 acres in the viewshed of the Appalachian Trail;
• 126,637 acres in historic districts;
• and 29,447 acres of Civil War battlefields.

County-by-county conservation easement totals (approximate)

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Contact:
Michael Kane
Director of Conservation
The Piedmont Environmental Council
[email protected]
(540) 347-2334 ext. 7063