Governor Ralph Northam announced the availability of $73 million to protect water and soil health through the Virginia Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program, which represents the largest-ever investment of state funding to assist farmers implementing conservation practices. The program has been updated to provide greater flexibility and reduce barriers to farmer participation. “This historic […]

Valley Conservation Council (VCC) seeks an ambitious, experienced, and enthusiastic Executive Director to lead the next chapter of our organization’s history. As a nonprofit land trust serving an 11-county region in and around Virginia’s famous Shenandoah Valley, VCC is proud to celebrate 30 years of conservation success. Throughout its history, VCC has helped to protect […]

Valley Conservation Council (VCC) seeks an ambitious, experienced, and enthusiastic Executive Director to lead the next chapter of our organization’s history. As a nonprofit land trust serving an 11-county region in and around Virginia’s famous Shenandoah Valley, VCC is proud to celebrate 30 years of conservation success. Throughout its history, VCC has helped to protect […]

Hostess of the event, Mimi Abel Smith (center) enjoying the afternoon with stewards of Hickory Tree Farm, Susan Pope and Joseph Gargan Upperville, VA (May 23, 2018) – More than 350 guests gathered on Sunday, May 20th in Upperville to celebrate the Land Trust of Virginia’s (LTV) ongoing conservation efforts in the Commonwealth. The 20th […]

Brush Mountain as seen from Heritage Park. The New River Land Trust purchased the second of two properties that will make up the new 553-acre park on Brush Mountain in Blacksburg. The park will be home to multi-use trails for community recreation while protecting an ecologically sensitive area. We purchased the first property in 2018. […]

NRLT campers play in the child-sized birdhouse at the Nature Play Space in Heritage Park. Exploring streams and discovering birds, making art with vegetables and flowers, and visiting a working farm to learn how food is grown—these are just some of the things kids in our area are doing this season with New River Land […]

Did you spend a couple hours this past tax season digging up receipts only to find that you didn’t have enough deductions to itemize? You weren’t alone. Because of the near doubling of the standard deduction as a result of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA), the number of households itemizing deductions went from […]

Valley Conservation Council will soon be looking for a new Executive Director to lead the next chapter in VCC’s growth and development. Under the leadership of Natasha Skelton, VCC doubled the amount of land we steward, received a gift of a 400-acre farm in Highland County on which we plan to host educational seminars and […]

The IRS and U.S. Treasury Department issued final regulations that will drastically erode state tax incentives for landowners who donate land or conservation easements to land trusts.This rule will require state income tax credits (like the Virginia Land Preservation Tax Credit) to be counted as  quid pro quo for charitable contributions, which will lower the […]

In 2017, I moved from a fulfilling career in a locally grown business to serving an organization and a mission that marched in line with my personal passion.  Life in the greater Shenandoah Valley is rooted in our beautiful landscape and fed by our agrarian way of life.  My childhood was filled with mountain adventures […]