Last month, Virginia’s Governor Bob McDonnell announced that the Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) protected 26,375 acres of open space in 2012.  With 127 conservation easements, the VOF protected Virginia’s open space at a rate of over 3 acres per hour!

“It’s a win-win when private landowners partner to conserve open space, working farms and forests,” said Doug Domenech, Virginia’s Secretary of Natural Resources.  “We all benefit from enjoying Virginia’s natural beauty.  It’s good for the environment as well.”  To date, the VOF has protected 675,000 acres–more than 1,000 square miles–in 107 localities across the commonwealth.

By placing your land under conservation easement, you not only benefit from a number of generous annual tax breaks, you also ensure that you and future generations will be able to continue enjoying the land long into the future.

Does your state have an aggressive plan to conserve open space?  We would love to hear about efforts near you to implement these programs and protect critical lands.