Western Virginia Land Trust

News Archive

5/8/07: Goodlatte signs on as co-sponsor of conservation tax incentive bill.

See our May 8, 2007 E-News.

4/24/07: Bedford County Landowners' Meeting, May 17. Sponsored by Bedford Citizens for Land Preservation and the Western Virginia Land Trust.

4/23/07: Gallop 4 the Greenways. 5K run to support Roanoke Valley Greenways.

4/4/07: Black Lick area land in Wythe County saved through creative partnerships.

See the note from WVLT Advisory Council member Liza Field and the whole story.

3/14/07: House Conservation Tax Incentive Bill to be Introduced

General Assembly Approves VOF Funding.

Thanks to the efforts of WVLT members and others across the state, the General Assembly approved $950,000 in additional one-year funding for our partner, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. See our Feb. 28, 2007 E-News.

WVLT Needs Your Help! See our Legislative Alert

2/7/07: Tax Break with a View: Story in the Wall Street Journal

1/9/07: The Art of Conservation: Story in the Roanoke Times

1/8/07: WVLT saves over 3,000 acres in 2006; grand total now 21,000 acres

WVLT helped to save more than 3,000 acres of land on 20 different properties in 2006, bringing the Land Trust's 10-year total to nearly 21,000 acres saved - or an area the size of Smith Mountain Lake and more than twice as big as the City of Salem! This is WVLT's second-highest yearly total ever, behind only 2001's 8,545 acres, 8,500 of which was the Big Survey tract in Wythe County.

12/20/06: Roanoke Times feature on recent Southwest Virginia easements

12/20/06: Two beautiful Franklin County farms saved

Thanks to the efforts of three Franklin County landowners, more than 550 acres of beautiful Franklin County farmland have been preserved for posterity.

Louise Truman, and Dan and Jean Hodges, all of Hardy, donated conservation easements on their properties to the Western Virginia Land Trust and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation in December. Conservation Partners, LLC, assisted in the recordation of the easements.

Photos and more

12/14/06: Floyd land below Twin Falls preserved

Floyd County landowner James L. Woltz of Freestate, LLC, has donated a conservation easement to the Western Virginia Land Trust and Friends of the Rivers of Virginia on Freestate’s property downstream of Twin Falls in northeast Floyd County. The easement preserves 1.5 miles of Lick Fork Creek, which runs the length of Freestate’s 54.7 acre parcel.

Photos and more

12/10/06: Botetourt County copes with growth

Story from the Roanoke Times

Link to Roanoke Times multimedia presentation

11/2/06: Scenic Virginia honors Tinker Mountain partnership

Scenic Virginia gave the "Best Preservation of a Scenic Viewshed" award to a partnership consisting of WVLT and other local organizations and individuals for their preservation of 235 acres on Tinker Mountain in Botetourt County. The award was presented at Scenic Virginia's 4th Annual Scenic Awards in Richmond on Nov. 2.

Accepting the award were partnership members David Maxson from Hollins University, Rupert Cutler with the Western Virginia Water Authority, landowners Lee Hartman, Jr., and John Brandemuehl, and WVLT Executive Director Roger Holnback.

More from the Roanoke Times...

More from A.T. Journeys Magazine...

10/30/06: Appalachian Trail: Feeling the Squeeze

Link to Roanoke Times multimedia presentation

10/18/06: Carilion Foundation honors Western Virginia Land Trust

The Western Virginia Land Trust was recognized as the outstanding “Quality of Life” grant recipient by the Carilion Foundation for work on a DVD, a newsletter insert and other initiatives under a $60,000 grant. WVLT was one of three organizations whose success stories were featured at Carilion’s annual celebration among 44 who received grants. More...

10/16/06: WVLT board, staff attend Land Trust Alliance Rally in Nashville, TN

Board members and staff from the Western Virginia Land Trust recently attended the National Land Conservation Conference: Rally 2006, sponsored by the Land Trust Alliance. Board of Trustees President Jim Kermes, Vice President Broaddus Fitzpatrick, and Executive Director Roger Holnback, all of Roanoke, participated in the four-day event, held from October 12-15 in Nashville, TN.

The National Land Conservation Conference: Rally 2006 is the largest land conservation conference in the country with over 2,000 attendees.

10/8/06: Western Virginia Land Trust celebrates 10 years, presents first A. Victor Thomas Environmental Stewardship Award

The Western Virginia Land Trust celebrated its 10 year anniversary in style on Sunday October 8th! More than 125 WVLT members and elected officials gathered at the home of former state senator Madison Marye on the Elliston Straightaway in Montgomery County. Festivities included a catered barbecue buffet from Bastian’s Bar-B-Q and live music from the Celtibillies. Highlighting the event was the presentation of the first A. Victor Thomas Environmental Stewardship Award to Sen. Marye. Photos and more...

10/2/06: David Perry joins Western Virginia Land Trust staff as Project Manager

The 10-year-old Western Virginia Land Trust has employed its second David. Dave Perry, a Blacksburg native and a lifelong hiker and camper who had been superintendent of recreation for Wicomico County, at Salisbury, Md. for eight years, will start work as project manager and grant writer on Oct. 2. Perry will succeed David Hurt, program manager for four years who has left to join Conservation Partners, a land conservation firm based in Lexington. More...