CAP encourages county leaders and local landowners to take advantage of the many financial incentives and programs available to permanently protect productive farms and forests, historic battlefields, open space and rural landscapes, and other natural and historic resources. Giving up development rights through a conservation easement is always voluntary and provides a useful tool for rural landowners who do not wish to develop their land.
Voluntary Purchased Easement Program
Rockingham County supervisors and staff, along with members of CAP and other farm and conservation groups, have worked since 2008 to explore ways to retain prime farmland, forest and battlefield lands, through the purchase of development rights from willing sellers.
CAP congratulates those landowners who voluntarily donate a conservation easement to permanently protect their natural, historic and open space resources, while continuing traditional rural land uses, such as farming, forestry and recreation. The Virginia Outdoors Foundation currently holds 19 conservation easements on 2,654 acres in Rockingham County. Other agencies, such as the Valley Conservation Council and Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation, hold easements in the county as well.
CAP
appreciates the support of our representatives in the General Assembly
for continued state-level funding of public and private land protection
programs. These include the state income tax credit for conservation
easement donors, a matching grant program from the state Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services to counties with PDR programs, the
Virginia Land Conservation Fund and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation.
Photo Credit: Nancy Hess
Community Alliance for Preservation | 2879 Rawley Pike, Harrisonburg, VA 22801 | 540-209-2552 | Contact Us DONATE NOW
