Land Trust of Virginia
Encyclopedia
The Land Trust of Virginia was originally formed in 1991 as the first state-wide land trust
in the Commonwealth of Virginia. LTV uses a legal tool called a conservation easement
to help landowners voluntarily protect scenic, historic or environmentally sensitive lands while keeping the land in private ownership and open for compatible uses, including forestry, farming, recreation and limited residential uses.
The Land Trust of Virginia is headquartered near Middleburg, Virginia
and has protected over 1000 acres (4 km²) throughout the state. The greatest density of easements are in Loudoun and Fauquier Counties, but LTV also holds easements in Clarke, Rappahannock, Culpepper, Madison and Green Counties. In 2009, the Land Trust of Virginia was awarded fully accredited status by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the national Land Trust Alliance
. The Land Trust of Virginia is one of the first 54 land trusts in the nation – and the second in Virginia - to receive such a designation.
Land trust
There are two distinct definitions of a land trust:* a private, nonprofit organization that, as all or part of its mission, actively works to conserve land by undertaking or assisting in land or conservation easement acquisition, or by its stewardship of such land or easements; or* an agreement...
in the Commonwealth of Virginia. LTV uses a legal tool called a conservation easement
Conservation easement
In the United States, a conservation easement is an encumbrance — sometimes including a transfer of usage rights — which creates a legally enforceable land preservation agreement between a landowner and a government agency or a qualified land...
to help landowners voluntarily protect scenic, historic or environmentally sensitive lands while keeping the land in private ownership and open for compatible uses, including forestry, farming, recreation and limited residential uses.
The Land Trust of Virginia is headquartered near Middleburg, Virginia
Middleburg, Virginia
Middleburg is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States with a population of approximately 976 as of July 2010.-History:The town was established in 1787 by American Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel and Virginia statesman, Levin Powell. He purchased the land for Middleburg at $2.50 per...
and has protected over 1000 acres (4 km²) throughout the state. The greatest density of easements are in Loudoun and Fauquier Counties, but LTV also holds easements in Clarke, Rappahannock, Culpepper, Madison and Green Counties. In 2009, the Land Trust of Virginia was awarded fully accredited status by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the national Land Trust Alliance
Land Trust Alliance
The Land Trust Alliance, originally formed in 1982 as the Land Trust Exchange, is a national conservation organization representing more than 1,700 land trusts across the United States...
. The Land Trust of Virginia is one of the first 54 land trusts in the nation – and the second in Virginia - to receive such a designation.