© Bruce McNitt/Panoramic Images (Virginia)
Funding Conservation and Land Use Planning
In general, the largest expenditure by the state for land conservation is through the Land Preservation Tax Credit program. The tax credit program has an annual cap of $100 million. Besides the tax credit program, there is no singularly dedicated source of funds in Virginia for land conservation. The large sums used for purchases of land are usually through bond funds approved by the General Assembly. The Virginia Land Conservation Foundation also gets its funding from the general assembly through a specific distribution that ranges between $1 million to $15 million annually.
Programs and Resources
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Virginia Land Conservation Fund (VLCF)
To provide state funding used to conserve certain categories of special land including open spaces and parks, natural areas, historic areas, and farmland and forest preservation.
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Virginia Open-Space Lands Preservation Trust Fund
To provide monetary assistance to landowners related to the costs associated with the conveyance of an open-space or conservation easement.
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Land Preservation Tax Credit
To protect the state's unique natural and historical resources by rewarding and assisting habitat stewardship by private landowners.