Land Trust of Virginia Awarded New Grant
T
he Middleburg-based Land Trust of Virginia (LTV) has been awarded a one-year grant funded by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) and administered by Virginia’s United Land Trust (VaULT). LTV will receive $18,000 for their project titled Building the Capacity of the Land Trust of Virginia’s Easement Program. This grant program was created in recognition of the critical importance of accelerating land conservation throughout the Commonwealth and to highlight the power of partnership between state agencies and nonprofit land trusts.
and VaULT member, currently holds more easements than any other nonprofit land trust in Virginia.
Historically state agencies have taken the majority of conservation easements, but over the last decade, Virginia’s nonprofit land trust community and specifically VaULT members have significantly increased the number of properties they are conserving each year.
“It is long overdue that we increase our staff dedicated to easement intake, which prompted us to apply for this funding,” said LTV Executive Director Sally Price. “Over the past five years, we have expanded our organization’s stewardship, development and education programs resulting in far more interest in our easement work. With this grant, we plan to work with a consultant and hire an additional director of conservation to double our easement program in the next two years.”
The percentage of the total number of easements completed by nonprofit land trusts has increased from 17% in 2015 to 49% in 2020. Of that 49%, VaULT members competed 47%. LTV, an accredited land trust
Last year, LTV completed 16 easements for a total of 3,040 acres, compared to 1,765 acres in 2020. These new easements expanded LTV’s footprint into six new counties, resulting in LTV easements in 24
counties across Virginia. The interest from the public in LTV programs, and the total recorded easements in 2021, is far more than in previous years. LTV is a nonprofit organization that partners with private landowners who voluntarily protect and preserve properties with significant historic, scenic, or ecological value. The organization has worked with 219 families, conserving a total of 26,109 acres in 24 counties in Virginia. While LTV charges landowners for its services, those fees only cover about 28% of LTV’s actual costs. Fundraising is essential to its mission. For more information about LTV’s work, visit http:// www.landtrustva.org.
UPPERVILLE HORSE SHOW On Tuesday, June 7 at 6 p.m. Buchanan Hall will present a celebration of the Upperville Horse Show and the distinguished filmmaking career of Tom Davenport of Delaplane.
Highlights will include a screening of Davenport’s 16 mm film. The Upperville Colt & Horse Show is the oldest and one of the most prestigious horse shows in America. Established in 1853 by Colonel Richard Henry Dulany, who also founded the Piedmont Fox Hounds, the show was originally designed to encourage better treatment of young horses and improve the local breeding stock. This film was shot in 1969 when the show was a rural event and much smaller than the modern show. Davenport will talk about the project and his other films. Additional speakers will offer insight into the history of this fabulous event.
Contact: 540-592-3455 | Buchananhall@gmail.com Sponsored by G. Fletcher Slater at Homebridge Financial Services - Middleburg, Country ZEST magazine and Betsee Parker of Huntland in Middleburg, admission $10 will include a glass of wine and nibbles.
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MIDDLEBURG SUSTAINABLE COMMITTEE| Spring 2022
