2024 was an outstanding year for ODLC’s conservation mission. We partnered with landowners to put 6 new properties into conservation easement in Loudoun and Clarke County, bringing our total held conservation easements to 137. These easements helped to safeguard 436 acres of Virginia lands from development, including almost 100 acres of active farmland, 260 acres of prime farming soils, and 110 acres of hardwood forest. In addition, two of these properties are within the Goose Creek Rural Historic District, helping to preserve its pastoral and scenic character. Several of our 2024 easements adjoined other properties held in easement by ODLC and other land trusts, helping to protect large swaths of contiguous habitat for native plants and animals.
In other news, ODLC obtained a 58-acre property in Fauquier County abutting the G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area. We are excited to begin work on improving the property, including removal of invasive species, planting a native pollinator garden, and clearing and reestablishing trails throughout the property. Once these projects are complete, we look forward to opening the property to public access in 2026.
Since 2008, ODLC has worked with landowners to protect 21,281 acres of land in Virginia across 11 different counties. We look forward to seeing what 2025 holds!