I serve on the board of this great organization that, for over thirty years, has assisted farmers and other large property owners in protecting their property from unchecked development. The Shenandoah Valley is widely known for its beauty and attracts tourists from all over the country. Many a visitor, myself included, has been inspired to leave overcrowded , gridlocked cities and move here for the quality of life we enjoy.
Protecting fields, forests, and streams through easements ensures that the unspoiled beauty of the Valley will be there for our children and all future generations. Come see for yourself.
I have supported Valley Conservation Council (VCC) since its founding in 1990. Through its outreach to private landowners and application of land conservation tools, such as conservation easements, VCC has assisted in the permanent protection of many thousands of acres of open space, primarily working farm and forest lands, and stream buffers. It is the only private land trust that focuses on an 11-county region which includes the beautiful Shenandoah Valley and Allegheny highlands. Its advocacy of careful natural resource-based land use policy is reflected in current land use plans in all of the counties and cities it serves. For those who love and appreciate the beautiful and economically rich landscapes of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, VCC is highly worthy of your support. Pictured is one of VCC's most recent conservation easement projects, a 400-acre dairy farm that includes prime soils and a forest buffer along the North River in Augusta County.
Valley Conservation Council became an accredited land trust in August 2019, a status that can be renewed every five years. Accreditation means Valley Conservation Council meets national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. Valley Conservation Council demonstrated to the Land Trust Accreditation Commission its commitment to excellence. Accredited land trusts meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. These land trusts demonstrate the commitment to excellence by adopting Land Trust Standards and Practices, the ethical and technical guidelines for the responsible operation of a land trust, and meeting the accreditation requirements drawn from them. To learn more about land trust accreditation and the current accreditation status of Valley Conservation Council, visit http//www.landtrustaccreditation.org/about.