Print this story |
E-mail story |
This story has 2 comments Add your own |
iPod friendly | Bookmark this
What is this?
Program aims to preserve forestland
Published Friday, February 26, 2010
The Virginia Department of Forestry has launched a program to protect forestland in Southeastern Virginia called Tomorrow Woods.
FRANKLIN—The Virginia Department of Forestry estimates that the commonwealth could lose more forest and agricultural land in the next 40 years than it has since the founding of Jamestown.
To offset that ominous prediction, the department, with support from Dominion Virginia Power, has developed a new program to protect forestland in Southeastern Virginia called Tomorrow Woods.
“I’m very excited,” said Robert Suydam, forest conservation specialist for the Department of Forestry.
The program is available to forest landowners in the counties of Southampton, Isle of Wight, Dinwiddie, Prince George, Surry and Sussex, as well as the City of Suffolk — all are areas where the Department of Forestry is concerned about the conversion of private forestland to other uses.
The department’s goal is to work with landowners to protect large blocks of working forests by keeping them intact and unfragmented through conservation easements, according to a news release.
Conservation easements are voluntary agreements between landowners and government agencies or land trusts that permanently limit future development of the land to protect its conservation values. The easement agreements are permanent and apply to all future landowners.
Typically, when donating a conservation easement landowners are responsible for paying up-front costs, including fees for attorneys, appraisal, title search and title insurance. The Tomorrow Woods program provides funding towards these costs by reimbursing the landowner directly.
While there are certain caveats and funding caps for the program, it is still a great tool to help preserve the state’s forestland, Suydam said.
“Virginia has seen intense development for the last several decades,” he said, and indications are that will continue.
For more information on the Tomorrow Woods land conservation program, contact Suydam at (804) 328-3031.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?
Comments
Posted by PreserveNature (anonymous) on February 26, 2010 at 9:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a great program. Remember, trees take in Carbon Dioxide and give off Oxygen. Humans give off Carbon Dioxide and need oxygen to live. Plus, forrests provide homes for many species of animals and plants that we depend on for food and to keep our environment balanced. At the rate this country is going with development and industry, we will deplete the basic resources we as humans need to live. We need to keep our forests, rivers, and other natural surrounds in tact.
Posted by minkybut (Jeff Turner) on February 26, 2010 at 11:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ALSO, Forrest land and wetlands areas around our communities are essential for recharging our groundwater supplies. It is imperative that we keep large tracts of land intact around our rivers to keep flooding from getting worse than it already is.
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)