Conservation Easements and the Chesapeake Bay

As stated in the 2000 Chesapeake Bay Agreement:
"The Chesapeake Bay is North America's largest and most biologically diverse estuary, home to more than 3,600 species of plants, fish and animals. For more than 300 years, the Bay and its tributaries have sustained the region's economy and defined its traditions and culture. It is a resource of extraordinary productivity, worthy of the highest levels of protection and restoration.

Accordingly, in 1983 and 1987, the states of Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, representing the federal government, signed historic agreements that established the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay's ecosystem."

To see the agreements and other information Click Here.

Part of this important document requires that each Partner agree to permanently preserve from development 20 % of the land area in the watershed by 2010. At the end of 2005, the Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources stated that Virginia has 358,000 acres left to meet the permanent protection of 20% of the land in the Bay watershed. Maryland and Pennsylvania have met the 20% commitment and Virginia has until 2010 to meet this written obligation from the 2000 Chesapeake Bay Agreement.

Clarke County is committed to do its part to help the Commonwealth achieve this goal. To date, 16,065 acres (14%) (click for map) of the County is held in permanent easement by several land trust organizations including the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, Department of Historic Resources, and the Clarke County Easement Authority.

Landowners in Clarke County are the key to success in efforts to protect open space and water quality by limiting future development. Please review the information included in this web site or call Alison Teetor (540) 955-5134 at the Clarke County Planning office to learn more about conservation easements.

The Chesapeake Bay Program, Local Government Advisory Committee, and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay have provided funding for construction and development of this web site. Please visit their websites http://www.chesapeakebay.net/land.htm or http://www.acb-online.org for more information about the Chesapeake Bay and land conservation.