Many agencies in Virginia play important roles in land conservation. Some are qualified to accept land or open space easements from landowners, and others carry out a wide variety of land conservation programs.
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation's (DCR) mission is to conserve, protect, enhance and advocate the wise use of the commonwealth's unique natural, historic, recreational, scenic and cultural resources.
- The Virginia Natural Heritage Program establishes and manages the Natural Area Preserve system, which currently contains 66 preserves with more than 60,000 acres. View this list of Virginia's Natural Area Preserves. Landowners with qualifying land can donate or sell their property rights to the Natural Heritage Program for dedication as a Natural Area Preserve.
Contact: Jason Bulluck, 804-786-7951, jason.bulluck@dcr.virginia.gov
- The Virginia Land Conservation Foundation (VLCF) provides grants to state agencies, local governments, and land trusts for acquiring qualifying fee simple titles or easements.
Contact: Suzan Bulbulkaya, 804-371-5218, suzan.bulbulkaya@dcr.virginia.gov
- Virginia State Parks operates and manages 43 state parks across the commonwealth totaling over 75,000 acres. View the map of Virginia's State Parks to find a park near you. DCR is always looking to conserve natural resources and expand public access as additions to existing parks, or whenever land acquisition opportunities become available in underserved areas.
Contact: Brian Fuller, 804-225-3034, brian.fuller@dcr.virginia.gov
- DCR’s Division of Recreation Planning and Recreation Resources administers Virginia’s Land and Water Conservation Fund and Recreational Trails Program grant programs.
Contact: Kristal McKelvey, 804-786-4379, kristal.mckelvey@dcr.virginia.gov
Virginia Outdoors Foundation
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) holds conservation/open space easements on more than 760,000 acres in 106 localities across the commonwealth. The easements protect various natural resources, including watershed areas, settings for historic homes, scenic views, agricultural lands, lands adjacent to public parks and game preserves, and more.
Contact: Nathan Burrell, 866-863-9800 ext. 255, nburrell@vof.org
Virginia Department of Forestry
One of Virginia Department of Forestry’s (DOF) primary goals is to conserve Virginia’s forestlands. DOF manages more than 50,000 acres of state forestland, holds open-space easements, and helps other state agencies manage state-owned forestland.
Contact: Terry Lasher, 434-220-9095, terry.lasher@dof.virginia.gov
- DOF manages the Forest Legacy Program, which provides grants for projects that protect and conserve important forests threatened by conversion to non-forest uses by purchasing land or open space easements on land.
Contact: Contact: Terry Lasher, terry.lasher@dof.virginia.gov, 434-220-9095.
Virginia Department of Historic Resources
The Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) is the state's historic preservation office. Its mission is to foster, encourage and support stewardship of Virginia's significant historical, architectural, archaeological and cultural resources.
- Through the Historic Preservation Program, DHR acquires and monitors easements on land with important historic resources.
Contact: Megan Melinat, 804-482-6093, megan.melinat@dhr.virginia.gov
- The Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund issues grants for the protection of battlefield lands associated with the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War.
Contact: Wendy Musumeci, 804-482-6096, wendy.musumeci@dhr.virginia.gov
- The Virginia Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Historic Preservation Fund (BIPOC) was created to protect and support Virginia’s historically underserved and underrepresented communities and their cultural and historical sites.
Contact: Caitlin Sylvester, bipocgrantfund@dhr.virginia.gov
A fundamental goal of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is to conserve wildlife habitat. DWR owns Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and lakes across the state. DWR acquires WMAs fee simple, and manages these lands for wildlife habitat, but many provide opportunities for hunting, fishing, and other recreation.
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality manages the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund, which can be used to permanently protect land that improves water quality and protects open-space values.
Contact: Karen Doran, 804-698-4133, karen.doran@deq.virginia.gov.
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
- VDACS office of Farmland Preservation has developed a model Purchase of Development Rights program localities may use in developing their own PDR programs.
Contact: Gennette Harris, 804-786-1906, genette.harris@vdacs.virginia.gov
