Every bit of unused land doesn’t need to be developed: Conservation Trust offers an alternative
By Alan Rowsome, executive director of the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust.
As residents of Northern Virginia, we’re witnessing our communities develop rapidly with an influx of new businesses that are soon to call this region home.
As residents of Northern Virginia, we’re witnessing our communities develop rapidly with an influx of new businesses that are soon to call this region home.
There are many positives to living and working in such a thriving area, but it is also crucial that we protect the natural, outdoor places we love so that present and future generations can enjoy them the way we have.
With more than 1.1 million people living in Fairfax County alone, we
must actively preserve green spaces, clean water sources, and wildlife habitat
or risk the health of the community we call home.
must actively preserve green spaces, clean water sources, and wildlife habitat
or risk the health of the community we call home.
The Northern Virginia Conservation Trust (NVCT), based in the Packard Center in Annandale, has protected more than
7,000 acres of land throughout Northern Virginia over the past 25 years. In fact,
we’ve protected more than 650 acres in Fairfax County alone.
7,000 acres of land throughout Northern Virginia over the past 25 years. In fact,
we’ve protected more than 650 acres in Fairfax County alone.
From one-acre parcels to much larger tracts, we look for land with
conservation value that is worthy of
protection. NVCT is your region’s land trust working to safeguard the places
you love by keeping property undeveloped and intact for future generations. We
preserve the beauty and sustainability of our lands and waters, our quality of
life, and the air we all breathe.
conservation value that is worthy of
protection. NVCT is your region’s land trust working to safeguard the places
you love by keeping property undeveloped and intact for future generations. We
preserve the beauty and sustainability of our lands and waters, our quality of
life, and the air we all breathe.
Northern Virginia’s lands offer rich natural and cultural heritage while
providing spaces to decompress, opportunities for outdoor recreation, and wildlife
habitat that are enjoyed by all ages.
providing spaces to decompress, opportunities for outdoor recreation, and wildlife
habitat that are enjoyed by all ages.
One of the ways we protect these natural places is through conservation
easements. These are legal agreements between a landowner and a land trust that
relinquishes developable rights on a property, thus protecting the lands’
natural values.
easements. These are legal agreements between a landowner and a land trust that
relinquishes developable rights on a property, thus protecting the lands’
natural values.
The state of Virginia and the federal government offer
significant tax benefits to property owners who put a conservation easement on
their land. A property owner who executes a conservation easement continues to
hold private ownership of the property while safeguarding its natural land. The
land trust is then a partner with the owner to ensure the terms of the easement
are upheld.
significant tax benefits to property owners who put a conservation easement on
their land. A property owner who executes a conservation easement continues to
hold private ownership of the property while safeguarding its natural land. The
land trust is then a partner with the owner to ensure the terms of the easement
are upheld.
This all might sound scary and complicated, but it’s really a simple
process that an organization like ours can walk you through. Conservation
easements are flexible tools and they do not always have to apply to an entire
property. The Northern Virginia Conservation Trust is an expert in land conservation tools and works closely
with property owners to ensure protection of open space in perpetuity.
process that an organization like ours can walk you through. Conservation
easements are flexible tools and they do not always have to apply to an entire
property. The Northern Virginia Conservation Trust is an expert in land conservation tools and works closely
with property owners to ensure protection of open space in perpetuity.
Conservation easements can be tailored to individual landowners and their
needs as long as they are preserving the conservation value of the land. An
easement on a property that is home to a rare plant species, for example, could
prohibit further development, while a working farm could allow for additional
structures to support agriculture.
needs as long as they are preserving the conservation value of the land. An
easement on a property that is home to a rare plant species, for example, could
prohibit further development, while a working farm could allow for additional
structures to support agriculture.
If you own property or land that doesn’t have developable rights, there
are additional options to consider for conservation, as well as financial
benefit.
are additional options to consider for conservation, as well as financial
benefit.
Donating land outright to an organization like ours would potentially allow
for the tract to be protected and managed by us as a pocket park or nature
preserve, with the landowner no longer having to pay property taxes on the
parcel and likely receiving significant tax benefits from the charitable gift. This
can be done on full or partial lots depending on the situation.
for the tract to be protected and managed by us as a pocket park or nature
preserve, with the landowner no longer having to pay property taxes on the
parcel and likely receiving significant tax benefits from the charitable gift. This
can be done on full or partial lots depending on the situation.
NVCT now owns 21 such places around our region which, when possible,
will be opened up for public access and managed for the values that we all hold
near and dear.
will be opened up for public access and managed for the values that we all hold
near and dear.
In addition to land conservation, NVCT is an active participant in your
local community. We offer a number of volunteer events annually, such as trash
cleanups, invasive plant removal, wildlife and nature hikes, educational events, photo contests, and much more.
local community. We offer a number of volunteer events annually, such as trash
cleanups, invasive plant removal, wildlife and nature hikes, educational events, photo contests, and much more.
If you feel as we do that we have an obligation to future generations to
leave our community as thriving and livable as it is today, then we’d love to
get you involved with our volunteer events. This is an excellent opportunity to
enjoy the great outdoors, meet great people, and give back to our neighborhoods.
leave our community as thriving and livable as it is today, then we’d love to
get you involved with our volunteer events. This is an excellent opportunity to
enjoy the great outdoors, meet great people, and give back to our neighborhoods.
There’s still so much more you can do. You can become an advocate for
our environment or make a donation to us in support of the clean water we
drink, the plants and animals we love, and the land we cherish.
our environment or make a donation to us in support of the clean water we
drink, the plants and animals we love, and the land we cherish.
Do you own land in our area that has woods, a stream, a farm, or a
historic site? A place, no matter how small, that matters to you that you don’t
want to see lost? If so, then we want to hear from you. Call us at 703-354-5093
or check us out at nvct.org.
historic site? A place, no matter how small, that matters to you that you don’t
want to see lost? If so, then we want to hear from you. Call us at 703-354-5093
or check us out at nvct.org.
NVCT wouldn’t be successful in this work without partners like you, so
please let us know how we can help.
please let us know how we can help.
5 responses to “Every bit of unused land doesn’t need to be developed: Conservation Trust offers an alternative”
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Thank you!
How about educating the newly arrived immigrant homeowners to stop cutting down our mature tree inventory? We need enforcement; I cannot count the number of trees that have been brocolli headed or cut down in my neighborhood, because the tree choppers come into town every fall and spring and scare the wits out of these people. If trees are cared for: watered, fed and pruned they can sustain most storms. Cutting them from the top weakens the trees, thus providing less food source to the roots. These people should be fined to stop this savagery. We all suffer when these trees get eliminated thus incrasing the heat island effect, runnoff and natural polution filters. But no the County is too busy pandering to nonsense rather than investing in its future.
The difficulty is members of the BOS who actively encourage development rather than conservation e.g. the Malbrook parcel in Mason District. then smugly congratulate themselves on their excellent stewardship of the land.
I couldn't agree more! It is so frustrating to watch them take campaign contributions from these developers and then help them line their pockets by rubber stamping their projects. The BOS are like the Lords of the Manor, nothing happens in their districts without their approval. This is a corrupt system and it should be cleaned out. Good luck with that happening in Virginia.
Hooray!!
I know who's getting a big chunk of my donations for Christmas this year…. 😉