Land Conservation Organizations in Virginia

Conservation organizations that protect land in Virginia

Similar to public agencies that conserve land, there are many private, nonprofit conservation organizations that do so. Each typically serves a particular region of the state or exists for a particular purpose, such as habitat protection or historic preservation. Organizations focusing mainly on land protection are typically called land trusts or conservancies.

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Show all land trusts and conservancies in Virginia

Land Trust	Contact Info	Locality
Appalachian Trail Conservancy	416 Campbell Avenue SW, Suite 101, Roanoke, VA 24016 540-953-3571 atc-varo@appalachiantrail.org	Albemarle County, Amherst County, Augusta County, Bland County, Botetourt County, Clarke County, Craig County, Fauquier County, Giles County, Grayson County, Greene County, Madison County, Page County, Rappahannock County, Roanoke County, Rockbridge County, Smyth County, Tazewell County, Warren County, Washington County, Wythe County
Blue Ridge Land Conservancy	1305 Maple Avenue SW, Roanoke, VA 25016 540-985-0000 Info@brlcva.org	Bedford County, Botetourt County, City of Roanoke, City of Salem, Craig County, Floyd County, Franklin County, Montgomery County, Roanoke County
Brandy Station Foundation	P.O. Box 165, Brandy Station, VA 22714 540-727-7718	Culpeper County
Capital Region Land Conservancy	P.O. Box 17306, Richmond, VA 23226 804-745-3110 parker@capitalregionland.org	Charles City County, Chesterfield County, City of Richmond, Goochland County, Hanover County, Henrico County, New Kent County, Powhatan County
Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation	8437 Valley Pike, Middletown, VA 22645 540-869-2064 info@ccbf.us	Frederick County
Central Virginia Battlefields Trust	P.O. Box 3417, Fredericksburg, VA 22402 540-907-0527 executivedirector@cvbt.org	City of Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania County
Central Virginia Land Conservancy	P.O. Box 12105, Lynchburg, VA 24506 434-942-4320 info@cvalc.org	Amherst County, Appomattox County, Buckingham County, Campbell County, City of Lynchburg, Nelson County
Ever Green Team	P.O. Box 111, Blackstone, VA 23824 434-264-5869	Amelia County, Brunswick County, Buckingham County, Charlotte County, Dinwiddie County, Halifax County, Highland County, Mecklenburg County, Nottoway County, Page County, Prince Edward County, Surry County
Friends of Dragon Run	P.O. Box 882, Gloucester, VA 23061 804-462-5608 President@dragonrun.org	Essex County, Gloucester County, King and Queen County, Middlesex County
Friends of the Rappahannock	3219 Fall Hill Ave, Fredericksburg, VA 22404 540-373-3448 info@riverfriends.org	Caroline County, City of Fredericksburg, Culpeper County, Essex County, Fauquier County, Greene County, King and Queen County, King George County, Lancaster County, Madison County, Middlesex County, Orange County, Rappahannock County, Richmond County, Spotsylvania County, Stafford County, Westmoreland County
Historic Green Springs	P.O. Box 1685, Louisa, VA 23093 540-967-8321	Louisa County
Historic Polegreen Church Foundation	P.O. Box 2111, Mechanicsville, VA 23116 804-730-3837 admin@historicpolegreenchurch.org	Hanover County
Historic Virginia Land Conservancy	5000 New Point Road, Suite 3101, Williamsburg, VA 23188 757-565-0343 ann@historicvirginialandconservancy.org	City of Williamsburg, Essex County, Goochland County, James City County, King and Queen County, King William County, Mathews County, Middlesex County, New Kent County, York County
James River Association	211 Rocketts Way, Suite 200, Richmond, VA 23231 804-788-8811 info@thejamesriver.org	Albemarle County, Amherst County, Appomattox County, Bedford County, Botetourt County, Buckingham County, Campbell County, Charles City County, Chesterfield County, City of Hampton, City of Hopewell, City of Lynchburg, City of Newport News, City of Portsmouth, City of Richmond, City of Suffolk, City of Williamsburg, Cumberland County, Fluvanna County, Goochland County, Henrico County, Isle of Wight County, James City County, Nelson County, Powhatan County, Prince George County, Rockbridge County, Surry County
Kernstown Battlefield Association	P.O. Box 1327, Winchester, VA 22604 202-302-9129 kba@kernstownbattle.org	City of Winchester, Frederick County
Living River Trust	475 Water Street, C103A, Portsmouth, VA 23704 757-478-7311 Rob.robins@baydiesel.com	City of Chesapeake, City of Norfolk, City of Portsmouth, City of Virginia Beach
Mathews Land Conservancy	P.O. Box 306, Mathews, VA 23109 804-725-9685 info@mathewslandconservancy.org	Mathews County
New River Conservancy	P.O. Box 1480, West Jefferson, NC 28694 863-364-8162 info@newriverconservancy.org	Carroll County, Giles County, Grayson County
New River Land Trust	P.O. Box 11057, Blacksburg, VA 24062 540-951-1704 nrlt@newriverlandtrust.org	Bland County, Carroll County, Floyd County, Giles County, Montgomery County, Pulaski County, Smyth County, Wythe County
Northern Neck Land Conservancy	P.O. Box 125, Lancaster, VA 22503 804-462-0979 execdir@nnconserve.org	King George County, Lancaster County, Northumberland County, Richmond County, Westmoreland County
Northern Virginia Conservation Trust	4022-A Hummer Road, Annandale, VA 22003 703-354-5093 info@nvct.org	Arlington County, Caroline County, City of Alexandria, City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church, City of Fredericksburg, City of Manassas, City of Manassas Park, Fairfax County, Fauquier County, King George County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, Spotsylvania County, Stafford County
Old Dominion Land Conservancy	621 W. Main Street, Purcellville, VA 20132 540-338-0077 henry@odlc.us	Fauquier County, Loudoun County, Rappahannock County, Stafford County
Piedmont Environmental Council	P.O. Box 460, Warrenton, VA 20188 540-347-2334 pec@pecva.org	Albemarle County, Clarke County, Culpeper County, Fauquier County, Greene County, Loudoun County, Madison County, Orange County, Rappahannock County
Potomac Appalachian Trail Club	118 Park Street SE, Vienna, VA 22180 703-242-0315 Info@patc.net	City of Harrisonburg, City of Waynesboro, Page County, Warren County
Potomac Conservancy	210 S. Braddock Street, Suite 101, Winchester, VA 22601 540-667-3606 lands@potomac.org	Clarke County, Frederick County, Page County, Shenandoah County, Warren County
Rivanna Conservation Alliance	1150 River Road, Suite One, Charlottesville, VA 22901 434-977-4837 exec@rivannariver.org	Albemarle County, City of Charlottesville, Fluvanna County, Greene County, Louisa County, Nelson County
Roanoke River Rails to Trails Inc. and Tobacco Heritage Trail	200 S. Mecklenburg Avenue, South Hill, VA 23970 434-447-7101	Brunswick County, Charlotte County, Halifax County, Mecklenburg County
Rockbridge Area Conservation Council	P.O. Box 564, Lexington, VA 24450 540-463-2330 RACC@rockbridge.net	Rockbridge County
Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation	P.O. Box 897, New Market, VA 22844 540-740-4545 info@svbf.net	Augusta County, City of Harrisonburg, City of Staunton, City of Waynesboro, City of Winchester, Clarke County, Frederick County, Highland County, Page County, Rockbridge County, Shenandoah County, Warren County
Southern Virginia Land Conservancy	PO Box 10940, Danville, VA 24543 276-224-6489 info@svalc.org	Halifax County, Henry County, Patrick County, Pittsylvania County
Trevilian Station Battlefield Foundation	P.O. Box 124, Trevilians, VA 23170 804-589-8989 tsbf@trevilianstation.org	Louisa County
Valley Conservation Council	128 W Bruce Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801 540-886-3541 info@valleyconservation.org	Allegheny County, Augusta County, Botetourt County, City of Harrisonburg, City of Staunton, City of Waynesboro, City of Winchester, Frederick County, Highland County, Page County, Rockbridge County, Rockingham County, Shenandoah County, Warren County
Virginia Eastern Shore Land Trust	P.O. Box 1114, Exmore, VA 23350 757-442-5885 info@veslt.org	Accomack County, Northampton County
Waterford Foundation	P.O. Box 142, Waterford, VA 20197 540-882-3018 info@waterfordva.org	Loudoun County

Statewide land trusts

Land Trust	Phone Number	Email Address
Ducks Unlimited	901-758-3825
Land Trust of Virginia	540-687-8441	info@landtrustva.org
Preservation Virginia	804-648-1889	info@preservationvirginia.org
Scenic Virginia	804-643-8439	email@scenicvirginia.org
The 500-Year Forest Foundation	434-953-3325	500yearforests@gmail.com
The Conservation Fund	703-525-6300	webmaster@conservationfund.org
The Nature Conservancy	434-295-6106	virginiadirector@tnc.org
Trust for Public Land	202-543-7552	washdc@tpl.org
Virginia Outdoors Foundation	866-863-9800	info@vof.org

Nonprofit organizations in Virginia qualified to accept land for protection are defined (pursuant to the Virginia Conservation Easement Act, §§ 10.1-1009 through 10.1-1016), as being a charitable corporation, charitable association, or charitable trust that has been declared exempt from taxation pursuant to 26 U.S.C.A. § 501 (c) (3) and the primary purposes or powers of which include one or more of the following:

Retaining or protecting the natural or open-space values of real property.
Assuring the availability of real property for agricultural, forestal, recreational, or open-space use.
Protecting natural resources.
Maintaining or enhancing air or water quality.
Preserving the historic, architectural or archaeological aspects of real property.

These qualified land conservation organizations are defined as holders in the act, as they are eligible to acquire and hold a conservation easement by gift, purchase, devise or bequest. In order to hold a conservation easement, such an organization must have a principal office in the Commonwealth for at least five years. Until an organization meets these requirements, it may co-hold a conservation easement with another holder that meets the requirements.

Virginia's United Land Trusts (VaULT)

Virginia's United Land Trusts or (VaULT), organized in 2000 to address the growing interest and number of organizations involved in land conservation. It represents about 30 private land conservation organizations in Virginia. The group's goals are to:

Promote land conservation efforts statewide
Create or build land trust capacity
Foster greater coordination and communication among land trusts in Virginia.
Coordinate private land conservation efforts with those of public sector agencies thus better enabling effective statewide conservation planning and green infrastructure promotion.
Promote high professional standards for land trusts in Virginia.

For information about VaULT contact Ellen Shepard eshepard@vaunitedlandtrusts.org or 540-529-1595.

National land conservation organizations

There are numerous national and regional land conservation groups. Some focus on particular resources and some provide general information useful to all land conservation organizations. Here's a list of some of those groups:

Trust for Public Land