$120,250 Land Conservation Grant Awarded To Stafford County To Preserve Historic Farm

STAFFORD COUNTY, VA — A $120,250 grant was awarded to Stafford County to help protect and preserve local, historic land. The funds, which came from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, will be used to place the 70-acre Kevin Jones Farm into a conservation easement.

Stafford County's grant was just one of 30 grants announced by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation on Thursday. In total, the grants will provide $7.5 million to protect and preserve 8,000 acres of land across the commonwealth.

"The Virginia Land Conservation Foundation grants program helps protect our most important natural resources and provide more access to the great outdoors for everyone to enjoy,” Governor Northam said in a news release. “Through ConserveVirginia, we're making sure we prioritize protecting lands that bring the most benefit, addressing historic inequalities, and widening our public land program into new areas. Each one of these grants is an opportunity to protect public space in our local communities."

ConserveVirginia, the state's land conservation strategy based on smart map technology, was used in the grant selection process. The grants were awarded to private land trusts, local governments and state agencies to acquire and protect culturally, ecologically, or historically significant pieces of land.

The Kevin Jones Farm was funded due to its natural wetlands, scenic views, Civil War battle sites, and prime farm soil. The property features Civil War trenches and a threatened or endangered species, according to the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

This was the third round of grants from the Land Conservation Foundation and Department of Conservation and recreation this year. $3.4 million in grants were announced on Feb. 5, while another $4.8 million in grants were announced on June 10. In total, $15.7 million dollars have been awarded in 2021.

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