Country MATTERS Conservation Easements Preserving Our Precious Countryside

Country MATTERS Conservation Easements Preserving Our Precious Countryside

By Kevin Ramundo

This month marks the 51st anniversary of Earth Day, first introduced in the United States and now celebrated around the world.

In our little nook of the planet, let’s applaud the growing use of conservation easements in Fauquier and Loudoun counties. Together, they have almost 170,000 acres, or over 22 percent of their land, under permanent conservation easement.

Conservation easements are one of the most important tools for preserving rural lands and open space while providing an attractive option for landowners who prefer to keep their land, rather than sell it for development.

Everyone benefits because easements reduce development pressure in rural areas; provide cleaner air and water; keep prime land available for agriculture and forestry; maintain wildlife habitats; enhance recreational opportunities; and, preserve scenic landscapes for the enjoyment of all residents and visitors.

The following properties are just two of the hundreds under easement through various programs in Fauquier and Loudoun. We owe a huge thanks to these programs and all the landowners who protect their land this way. Special thanks to the Land Trust of Virginia (LTV) for sharing the following stories.

Gently Now Farm: Kyle and Sarah Jo Luby decided to put their 31-acre farm just outside The Plains into conservation easement after they purchased the property in 2017. They love the property because of its varied terrain and lovely pastoral views. A natural spring sits at the roadside and joins up with a stream that spans the length of the property. A large portion of the land is wooded and provides habitat for wildlife.

Rolling pastures are home to several horses and the property is used for training and rehabilitating horses. The farm could have been split into three separate lots, but will now remain intact.

Like so many in this area, Kyle and Sarah Jo have witnessed the rapid loss of farmland and open space in Virginia, which is why they decided to protect their property permanently.

“As growth continues, the amount of land for equestrian and outdoor activities is rapidly disappearing,” Sarah Jo said. “We wanted to do our part to help maintain a thriving horse industry and preserve the scenic, rural character of our region for everyone to enjoy.”

Orchardcroft: Gene and Annette Scheel, who own this 48-acre historic farm, fell in love with Virginia’s countryside and well-preserved history. It’s located 1.5 miles west of Waterford ,which has been designated as a historic district at state and federal levels.

The easement permanently protects the scenic open space and agricultural lands of the property which features rolling hills, views of the Blue Ridge, and an active cattle operation. Without the easement, the land could have been divided into nine separate lots.

Gene, a noted historian often focusing on our local area, said he and Annette, “Realized how important it was to protect and honor the history of this land and those that passed before us.” Both LTV and Loudoun County assisted with the costs of putting the farm under easement.

Virginia has long favored the use of conservation easements and recently passed legislation ensuring that any dispute over easement terms are decided in favor of the conservation purpose of the easement. Clearly, it’s critical to encourage elected officials at the county and state level to support programs that promote easements and land conservation.

Kevin Ramundo is a former communications executive who is resident of Citizens for Fauquier County (CFFC) and serves on the board of Land Trust of Virginia. Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2021