Norther n V i r g i n ia Conservation Tr ust
Conservation : Protecting the land forever .
NVCT is dedicated to Saving Nearby Nature . That “ nearby ” means that people throughout Northern Virginia benefit from this work , and each and every community can be certain that the Trust stands behind its commitment to the future and the value of protecting the land forever .
In the past year , NVCT has helped conserve land in Alexandria , Fairfax , Loudoun , and Stafford
Counties . From the urban core to the developing suburbs to the rural areas , NVCT has worked to protect land through conservation easements , receiving land donations , and assisting governments to conserve land in perpetuity . Take a look at how individual landowners have made a difference in Northern Virginia .
Land conservation is the heart of a land trust ’ s work . Each decision by a landowner to place his or her valued land in a conservation easement is a commitment to the future ; an act that conserves our natural resources for the benefit of the community .
Alexandria Wetlands and Bird Habitat Preserved
The Trust is a first-time landowner in the City of Alexandria with the donation of a 2-acre parcel located where Cameron Run and Hunting Creek meet before flowing into the Potomac River . One of the last remaining tidal wetlands in the city , the property is sandwiched between major freeways and an apartment complex . The family that owned the land since the 1940s donated it to NVCT , helping conserve not only a sensitive environment , but an important migrating bird habitat listed as an eBird “ Hotspot ” with more than 100 species sighted on the property .
Open Space Along Georgetown Pike Conserved
Landowners just off Georgetown Pike in McLean assumed their land was free from development pressure — until a large enclave of new homes went up on nearby land . They reached out to NVCT to create an easement that forever protects their property and renovated 1921 farmhouse that could have been split up for four high-end houses . The easement envisions a future for urban agriculture on the property ’ s good soils and reduces density within the historic Georgetown Pike corridor , a Virginia Byway .
50 Acres of Prince William County Farm and Forest Land Protected
When a landowner in the Nokesville area of Prince William County witnessed the fragmentation and development of nearby farms , he decided to conserve his 50 acres of farm and forest land with NVCT . He had purchased the land to provide open space for his daughter ’ s horses , and then , working with Virginia Department of Forestry , planted more than 3,000 loblolly pines to connect two forest patches on the land . His easement conserves land in the County ’ s Rural Crescent , prevents any subdivision , keeps the fields open for farming , and protects forest habitat for wildlife .
4 n Annual Report FY2017