The Land Trust of Virginia has deep roots in northern Virginia, although our land protection has slowly been expanding south, and we have been working hard for almost 30 years to add to the quality of all of our lives.

Our work has never been more important to me than right now. What is happening around the world has made me value, more than ever, the open spaces around me. Whether you live in them, near them, or just know of them – open spaces bring us fresh air, a peaceful escape, and have the ability to renew our souls.

It is with feelings of deep connection and our commitment to the health and welfare of our community that we are announcing some temporary changes to our typical course of business here at the Land Trust of Virginia.

As an organization dedicated to inspiring people to love and care for the land, we also recognize we must care for each other. Because of that, we’ve made a few adjustments to address the current COVID-19 pandemic, while continuing to maintain our personal connections with you.

LTV staff members are working remotely with only the occasional staff person in the office in Middleburg. Should you need to reach us, please feel free to email us directly. All our staff emails are listed on our Staff page of our website.

If you are one of our easement donors or currently own a property under easement with us, you are probably used to hearing from us this time of year. Spring is the time of year we try to get out to visit landowners and each of the properties in easement with LTV. But, with your health and safety, and that of our staff and volunteers in mind, LTV is holding off on these visits until we feel it is okay to have people out. We are following the CDC guidelines and have postponed gatherings, volunteer projects, and other public activities until further notice.

As things continue to change rapidly at the local, national, and global levels due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I want you to know we are continuing our best efforts to make sure the conservation work you believe in is moving forward. So far, requests from landowners for our services have not slowed down.

While we are all doing our best to adapt to these difficult circumstances, I encourage you to spend some time outdoors, breathing fresh air and soaking up the sunshine. With proper social distancing, getting outside to enjoy our beautiful Virginia is one of the best things you can do for your head, your heart, and your soul.

Now, more than ever, it’s difficult to feel connected to friends, family, and community. Yet, personal connections are what will carry us through this challenging time and we want to stay connected to you. So please let me know how you are connecting with the nature and the beauty accessible to you. Email me at sally@landtrustva.org. I have no doubt that we can inspire each other and help each other through this.

At LTV, we care deeply for our community and hope spring brings joy and its many wonders to you and your loved ones.