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Western Virginia Land Trust E-News

April 22, 2008

photo: Carvins Cove Natural Reserve as seen from the Appalachian Trail

A Great Day for Conservation in Western VA
11,000 acres in western Virginia conserved in one evening

City of Roanoke donates largest-ever conservation easement in Virginia, 6,185 acres of Carvins Cove, to the Western Virginia Land Trust and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation; AEP donates easement on 5,000 acres on Smith Mountain to VOF and Department of Game and Inland Fisheries

The theme was "Can you top this?" Monday night in Roanoke as two major conservation easements were donated to state agencies and the Western Virginia Land Trust within minutes of each other.

First, AEP and Gov. Tim Kaine made an announcement at AEP's annual shareholders meeting being held at the Hotel Roanoke that AEP would donate a conservation easement on 5,000 acres on Smith Mountain in Bedford and Pittsylvania Counties to the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Then, just minutes later, Roanoke City Council voted 6-0 to donate a conservation easement on 6,185 acres of Carvins Cove Natural Reserve to the Western Virginia Land Trust and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation.

WVLT Executive Director Roger Holnback, WVLT Vice President Janet Scheid, VOF Executive Director Bob Lee, and VOF Chairman Hank Hartz all addressed City Council in support of the easement. Scheid and Hartz both praised WVLT founding director, past Roanoke City Council member, and VOF board member Dr. Rupert Cutler for his dedication and perseverance in promoting an easement on Carvins Cove since 1996.

"In one day, more land was conserved in our service area than all of last year, and we haven't even gotten started recording all of this year's easements that are underway with private landowners," said Holnback. "The City of Roanoke has shown true vision and foresight. We're pleased to hold the largest easement ever recorded in the Commonwealth, and look forward to preserving the remainder of the Cove in the near future."

The conservation easement on Carvins Cove is the culmination of more than a decade of work by the Western Virginia Land Trust to protect a major source of drinking water for the Roanoke Valley, as well as miles of Appalachian Trail viewshed and a favorite recreational destination for area hikers, cyclists, and equestrians.

Roanoke Times story here.