The Virginia Department of Forestry and the Virginia Cooperative Extension are working to help Virginia landowners with legacy planning to make plans for passing land on to the next generation.
To help landowners get started and shed light on the legacy planning process, the Generation NEXT Program will include in-person workshops this summer and fall.
The workshops, which will take place in three locations throughout Virginia, serve as opportunities for family members to ask difficult questions, receive useful information, and get on the same page about plans for the future.
Families pay a fee to participate which includes refreshments as well as all necessary materials. Registration opens eight weeks prior to each workshop.
Workshops will be offered in Charlottesville on Sept. 16; Chatham on Oct. 20-21; and Richmond on Nov. 9.
“Many landowners are overwhelmed by the legacy planning process and assume that it primarily involves complicated estate planning with attorneys and accountants,” said DOF Forestland conservation program manager Karl Didier. “The Generation NEXT program helps ease estate planning and demonstrates how it’s just one part of the legacy planning process. Much like a forest changes over time, your plans will evolve. As priorities change or family dynamics shift, so should plans for your land.”
A companion to the workshop series, the “Legacy Planning: A Guide for Virginia Landowners” publication, provides an overview of the nine major steps involved in developing a robust land legacy plan. It includes case studies from landowners throughout Virginia and guides landowners to tools and resources.