Conservation foundation awards nearly $15 million in land grant funding in Virginia

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation has awarded a record $14.9 million in grant funding.

From the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation, the funding will help conserve 13,955 acres in the Commonwealth.

According to a press release, 40 projects will receive funding, including acquisitions of land for new local parks and recreation areas and conservation easements to protect working forestland.

Grants were awarded in farmland preservation, forest preservation, historic preservation, natural area protection, and open spaces and parks.

“The board of the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation is excited to make the most of this record funding and focus on significant land conservation efforts that will protect our natural resources,” Travis Voyles, acting Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources, said in the press release. Voyles is chair of the VLCF board, which approved the grants at its Nov. 14 meeting. “Through these new local parks and recreation areas, Virginians will have more opportunities for outdoor recreation such as public access to waterways, fishing — and even elk viewing or hunting.”

Matthew Wells, director of the Department of Conservation and Recreation, said the agency “looks forward to working with the local governments, state agencies, private land trusts and Virginian Indian tribes on these important efforts to protect the natural environment. Along with improving our water quality, biodiversity and protecting scenic viewsheds, the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation program helps to enhance outdoor experiences for all Virginians.”

The fiscal year 2023 grant round was the first time federally or state-recognized Indian tribes were eligible to apply under new state legislation.

The Rappahannock Tribe of Virginia was awarded a grant for 703 acres of culturally significant forest adjacent to its riverfront acreage. The tribe is named for the Rappahannock River, its ancestral homeland.

The Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe will receive a grant for 866 acres that includes shoreline along the tribe’s namesake river, the Mattaponi, in King William County. The tribe plans to establish a fish hatchery and offer public recreational opportunities including river access and trails.