Fauquier County, VA (October 1, 2018) – The Land Trust of Virginia is pleased to announce that 130 acres of farmland and forest near The Plains is forever protected through the landowners’ donation of a conservation easement. The recording of the easement completed protection of the farm’s 424-acres.  

The farm is home to a herd of over 150 beef cattle that are raised completely on pasture, well-tended, and managed in an environmentally friendly manner. The cattle are rotationally grazed, which allows vegetation to regenerate and minimizes erosion into waterways from exposed soil. To protect water quality, the cattle are fenced out of all wetlands, ponds, and streams. Meanwhile, the herd has constant access to minerals, waterers, and plenty of shade from some trees and mobile shade frames that travel with the herd as they enjoy newer, greener pastures.   

The easement will protect a total of 78 acres of forest and over 100 acres of soils designated as either “Prime Farmland Soils” or “Soils of Statewide Importance.” Scenic open space is another important conservation value of the property, as it is highly visible from two Virginia Byways. Protection of the property adds to a larger network of protected land in Fauquier County. More than 78% of land within a mile of the property is permanently protected, including 34 other conservation easements.   

“We have been blessed with the opportunity to enjoy this beautiful open space. Now with this conservation easement, we believe that it will be a blessing for all future generations as well. I appreciate the work that the Land Trust of Virginia did to make this process as simple as possible,” commented the landowner. And, the Land Trust of Virginia is proud to have played a role in protecting this land and, in the future, maintaining it as a working farm and partnering with a farmer who is employing environmentally friendly and sustainable management practices.   

The Land Trust of Virginia is a nonprofit organization that partners with landowners who voluntarily protect properties with significant historic, scenic, or ecological value. With the addition of these easements, LTV now holds 167 easements protecting a total of 18,613 acres in 15 counties across Virginia.