Land Trust of Virginia

Land Trust of Virginia
Formation1991
HeadquartersCommonwealth of Virginia
Websitehttps://landtrustva.org/

The Land Trust of Virginia (LTV) was originally formed in 1991 as the first statewide nonprofit land trust in the Commonwealth of Virginia. LTV uses a legal tool called a conservation easement to help landowners voluntarily protect scenic, historic, or environmentally sensitive lands while keeping the land in private ownership and open for compatible uses, including forestry, farming, recreation, and limited residential uses.

The Land Trust of Virginia is headquartered near Middleburg, Virginia[1] and has protected more than 151 properties and 18,000 acres throughout the state.[2]

History

The Land Trust of Virginia was established in 1992. The accredited land trust partners with landowners who volunteer to place their properties under a permanent conservation easement.[3]  

The greatest density of easements are in Loudoun and Fauquier Counties, but LTV also holds easements in Clarke, Rappahannock, Culpeper, Madison, Hanover, Green, and Albemarle Counties. In 2009, the Land Trust of Virginia was accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the national Land Trust Alliance. The Land Trust of Virginia is one of the first 54 land trusts in the nation – and the second in Virginia - to receive such a designation.

In 2022, the Land Trust of Virginia acquired an easement in Albemarle County for a factory farm in the Totier Creek drinking water protection area, which supplies the town of Scottsville.[4][5] Despite concerns about pollution emanating from the factory farm, the Land Trust Alliance granted LTV reaccreditation in 2025.[6]

In 2025, the Land Trust of Virginia announced permanent protection of 51-acres of donated land in Fauquier County.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Land Trust of Virginia - An Accredited Land Trust". www.ltanet.org. Archived from the original on 2011-07-27.
  2. ↑ "Land Trust of Virginia » Virginia's United Land Trusts". Virginia's United Land Trusts. Retrieved 2026-04-09.
  3. ↑ "Land Trust of Virginia". visitmiddleburgva.com. Retrieved 2026-04-09.
  4. ↑ Govoni-Young, Ari (2022-12-31). "Land Trust of Virginia Announces Easement in Albemarle County". The Land Trust of VA. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  5. ↑ "CAFO Concerns Albemarle County". conservation-abra.hub.arcgis.com. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  6. ↑ "August 2025 Accreditation Decisions - Land Trust Accreditation Commission". www.landtrustaccreditation.org. Retrieved 2026-04-15.
  7. ↑ "Land Trust of Virginia announces 51-acre conservation easement near Warrenton". FauquierNow. 2025-12-30. Retrieved 2026-01-30.