In July the oil spill response bill (CLEAR Act) passed the U.S. House of Representatives with full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) included. This bill is important on many levels. While its overarching purpose is to improve safety standards for offshore drilling, it goes even further, through the LWCF, to protect our country’s most valuable natural areas. It will help Americans enjoy healthy land and clean water, and support jobs and economies through tourism and outdoor recreation.

In West Virginia, LWCF has been used to protect areas like the New River,the Monongahela River, and Canaan Valley. With America losing 3 million acres every year to development, ensuring annual funding of $900 million for LWCF to protect our nation’s valuable land and water is not only common sense, but is a necessity.

What Can I Do to Help?

Are you a member of the WVLT? Have you been a member in the past but let your membership lapse? Now is a great time to make or renew your commitment to supporting land conservation in West Virginia by becoming a member of the West Virginia Land Trust today.

If you are in or around the Charleston area on April 10th come and join the WVLT at the Wallace Hartman Nature Preserve for a volunteer tree planting day!

Show your support for land conservation in West Virginia by joining us. Your membership dollars go directly towards helping to protect the special lands that make West Virginia wonderful.

Become a member today and help ensure that our special places are around for future generations to enjoy.

The West Virginia Land Trust (WVLT) is a member supported non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to protect West Virginia’s natural lands and scenic areas. Incorporated in 1995 the WVLT continues to be West Virginia’s only statewide land trust. To date our organization has protected over thousands of acres throughout West Virginia. Currently there are over 17,000 acres protected statewide through voluntary conservation easements.

Land is a resource that is owned by individuals, but enjoyed by many. When it is overdeveloped or misused, we all suffer.

The WVLT works with landowners to protect the natural values of their property to ensure that the scenic beauty of West Virginia will be maintained for future generations.

The West Virginia Land Trust (WVLT) is a non-profit tax-exempt organization, West Virginia's only state-wide land trust.

WVLT protects land with natural, scenic, recreational, historic or productive value - permanently. It accepts land donations, purchases land, or obtains conservation easements. WVLT is a membership organization supported by individual, corporate and business donations, and by foundation grants. WVLT is a sponsor member of the Land Trust Alliance.

For more information about the WVLT please contact us at wvlandtrust@te-associates.com or by calling 304-346-7788.

Sign up to receive information from the WVLT.

The West Virginia Land Trust currently holds conservation easements on a variety of lands including forests, lakeside habitats, agricultural lands and recreational areas.