Western Virginia Land Trust
Encyclopedia
The Western Virginia Land Trust (WVLT) is a non-profit land trust
headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia
that seeks to preserve the wilderness and farmlands in the western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia
(not the State of West Virginia
) from excessive commercial development
. WVLT's service area contains ten counties: Bedford
, Botetourt
, Carroll
, Craig
, Floyd
, Franklin
, Henry
, Montgomery
, Patrick
and Roanoke
.
donated the second of two conservation easements on the 11300 acres (45.7 km²) Carvins Cove Natural Reserve
to WVLT and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation
, making the Carvins Cove Natural Reserve
the largest tract of land protected with a conservation easement in Virginia. The easement was designed to protect 14 miles (22.5 km) of the viewshed from the Appalachian Trail
as well as a major source of the drinking water supply for the Roanoke Valley
. Carvins Cove Natural Reserve
is the second-largest city park in the United States and the largest east of the Mississippi.
In August 2008, WVLT worked to preserve more than a mile of a Chesapeake Bay
tributary stream and a wetland the size of 16 football fields in Botetourt County, VA.
to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
.
In 2009, WVLT presented Virginia Governor Tim Kaine
with the A. Victor Thomas Environmental Stewardship Award in recognition of the governor's conservation efforts during his term in office.
Land trust
There are two distinct definitions of a land trust:* a private, nonprofit organization that, as all or part of its mission, actively works to conserve land by undertaking or assisting in land or conservation easement acquisition, or by its stewardship of such land or easements; or* an agreement...
headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
that seeks to preserve the wilderness and farmlands in the western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
(not the State of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
) from excessive commercial development
Land development
Land development refers to altering the landscape in any number of ways such as:* changing landforms from a natural or semi-natural state for a purpose such as agriculture or housing...
. WVLT's service area contains ten counties: Bedford
Bedford County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 60,371 people, 23,838 households, and 18,164 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 26,841 housing units at an average density of 36 per square mile...
, Botetourt
Botetourt County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 30,496 people, 11,700 households, and 9,114 families residing in the county. The population density was 56 people per square mile . There were 12,571 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile...
, Carroll
Carroll County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,245 people, 12,186 households, and 8,786 families residing in the county. The population density was 61 people per square mile . There were 14,680 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile...
, Craig
Craig County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,091 people, 2,060 households, and 1,507 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile . There were 2,554 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
, Floyd
Floyd County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,874 people, 5,791 households, and 4,157 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 6,763 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
, Franklin
Franklin County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,286 people, 18,963 households, and 13,918 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 22,717 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...
, Henry
Henry County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 57,930 people, 23,910 households, and 16,952 families residing in the county. The population density was 152 people per square mile . There were 25,921 housing units at an average density of 68 per square mile...
, Montgomery
Montgomery County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 83,629 people, 30,997 households, and 17,203 families residing in the county. The population density was 215 people per square mile . There were 32,527 housing units at an average density of 84 per square mile...
, Patrick
Patrick County, Virginia
Patrick County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 18,490. Its county seat is Stuart. It is located within both the rolling hills and valleys of the Piedmont Region of Virginia and mountainous Southwest Virginia....
and Roanoke
Roanoke County, Virginia
Roanoke County is a county located in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area and located within the Roanoke Region of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 85,778. As of 2010, the population was 92,376...
.
Conservation efforts
Since 1996, WVLT has been credited with protecting more than 56000 acres (226.6 km²) of land. In 2009, Roanoke, VirginiaRoanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
donated the second of two conservation easements on the 11300 acres (45.7 km²) Carvins Cove Natural Reserve
Carvins Cove Natural Reserve
Carvins Cove Natural Reserve is the second largest city park in the United States, at . It is located in Botetourt County, Virginia and Roanoke County, Virginia....
to WVLT and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation
Virginia Outdoors Foundation
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation is a quasi-state agency formed by the Virginia General Assembly in 1966 "to promote the preservation of open space lands and to encourage private gifts of money, securities, land or other property to preserve the natural, scenic, historic, open-space and...
, making the Carvins Cove Natural Reserve
Carvins Cove Natural Reserve
Carvins Cove Natural Reserve is the second largest city park in the United States, at . It is located in Botetourt County, Virginia and Roanoke County, Virginia....
the largest tract of land protected with a conservation easement in Virginia. The easement was designed to protect 14 miles (22.5 km) of the viewshed from the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
as well as a major source of the drinking water supply for the Roanoke Valley
Roanoke Valley
The Roanoke Valley in southwest Virginia is an area adjacent to and including the Roanoke River between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian Plateau to the west...
. Carvins Cove Natural Reserve
Carvins Cove Natural Reserve
Carvins Cove Natural Reserve is the second largest city park in the United States, at . It is located in Botetourt County, Virginia and Roanoke County, Virginia....
is the second-largest city park in the United States and the largest east of the Mississippi.
In August 2008, WVLT worked to preserve more than a mile of a Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
tributary stream and a wetland the size of 16 football fields in Botetourt County, VA.
Donations
In April 2008, WVLT donated 145 acre (0.5867947 km²) adjacent to the Grassy Hill Natural Area PreserveGrassy Hill Natural Area Preserve
Grassy Hill Natural Area Preserve is a Natural Area Preserve located in Franklin County, Virginia, just to the west of the town of Rocky Mount. The site is composed of rocky slopes with various hardwood species and patches of Virginia Pine. Shallow soils predominate, and there is much bedrock...
to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is a department of the government of Virginia; it oversees all Virginia state parks and Natural Area Preserves.-External links:*...
.
Awards
In 2004, Scenic Virginia honored WVLT with its "Best Preservation of a Scenic Viewshed" award for preservation work along the Blue Ridge Parkway. In 2006, Scenic Virginia presented WVLT and a group of partners the same award for their efforts in preserving Tinker Mountain. Scenic Virginia also recognized WVLT in 2008 with its Scenic Water Corridor Preservation Award. In 2009, WVLT received a Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award along with the City of Roanoke, VA, and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation for the preservation of Carvins Cove Natural Reserve.In 2009, WVLT presented Virginia Governor Tim Kaine
Tim Kaine
Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine is a Virginia politician. Kaine served as the 70th Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, and was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011...
with the A. Victor Thomas Environmental Stewardship Award in recognition of the governor's conservation efforts during his term in office.