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CONSERVATION EFFORTS UNDERWAY - NASCAR driver Ward Burton on Monday
announced an arrangement between the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation and
Conservation Partners, LLC to assist landowners with conservation
easements. Shown from left, Burton, Taylor M. Cole, president of
Conservation Partners and Tom Inge, executive director for the Wildlife
Foundation. (TWM Jr. photo)
By Tucker McLaughlin, Jr.
News & Record staff
The Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation has joined with a Lexington,
Va.-based conservation group to give landowners a valuable new
preservation service.
Landowners can now turn to the Wildlife Foundation, which is working
with Conservation Partners, LLC to gain conservation easements to
protect their property forever from development, or other uses that
would be contrary to their wishes.
Ward Burton, a regular on the Nextel Cup circuit, joined with the
Foundation executive director, Tom Inge, and Taylor M. Cole, president
of Conservation Partners, LLC, in making the announcement Monday.
Burton said, "We're really happy to announce we've formed a partnership
fund with Conservation Partners, LLC.
"We're all very concerned about preserving our rural culture," said
Burton. Burton's Wildlife Foundation will hold easements for
landowners.
He described the move as "the first step to be able to do the right
thing to preserve our culture. We're just ecstatic about the
partnership, feel like we'll be able to move in the right direction."
This will be the first foundation to hold easements, and all the legal
wrinkles have been straightened out.
"The landowner is the one who makes the decision that they want to
protect their property from development and things that might harm the
land," Cole said. "There are ways to do that, one of which is to agree
to donate a conservation easement." The landowner works with a
charitable foundation which will be the holder of the easement.
"As the holder, they will work with the landowner to determine what the
conservation values of the property are, and how those conservation
values are going to be protected. And the holder becomes the one who
will ensure that future generations of owners of that land will
continue to protect the conservation values of the property as
originally intended by the owner who donated the easement," Cole said.
Thus, the Burton Wildlife Foundation is "entering into an agreement
with these landowners to help them protect their land."
Cole said the Wildlife Foundation will work with the landowners closely
to preserve the terms of the easement, and will also bring special
expertise as stewards protecting the land and habitat.
Cole expressed excitement at being able "to have that expanded
stewardship function in the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation.
"A lot of holders see it as their responsibility just to ensure that
the terms of the easement are adhered to. Very few of them actually go
to the extra step towards helping the landowners actually establish new
habitat and establish new best management practices, so this is very,
very exciting."
Cole said Conservation Partners is the only organization of its type in
the country, that serves as a comprehensive provider of services for
those who want to protect their land with conservation easements.
According to a pamplet distributed by Conservation Partners, a
conservation easement is a landowner-initiated agreement with a
non-profit organization or governmental agency that establishes limits
on how the landowner's property will be used in the future.
A conservation easement is legally binding on all future landowners,
and will forever protect the land from inappropriate development and
uses while allowing the landowner to retain the rights of private
ownership, according to the brochure.
"We can help them understand the benefits of conservation easements,
and there are many, many terrific tax benefits that donors are eligible
for when they make that contribution," said Cole,
Cole said Halifax and Southside Virginia had been underserved until now.
"There are a lot of landowners who are concerned about development, and
concerned that land that maybe has been in their family for generations
might not be protected once they're gone, and this is a way for them to
protect it," said Cole. "We're working with about a dozen people right
now on their conservation easements and have many more than that who
have indicated aninterest for donating an easement in 2008."
Cole said he is excited about the prospect of assisting the landowners
withthe easements and having a local holder for the easements.
Burton said, "A lot of the problem they were having… they've done all
the process, they're ready to go. The problem they were having was
finding a holder for the easement."
Cole said at least a thousand acres would be involved in the local
efforts on the easements, with thousands of acres for review of the
easement process in the future.
Cole said there are concerns that the open spaces left will be properly
managed, "so that we've got something to hand over to future
generations."
Burton added, "If we can make this norm, our Southern Virginia culture
can be protected for generations to come."
Burton said this partnership is the first of its kind in Southside
Virginia.
"We've taken a positive step in the right direction, and Conservation
Partners has got a statewide, if not nationwide, very accredited
reputation of doing the right thing, making sure the easements are done
properly and representing each landowner in a very professional and
personal way," said Burton.
Significant tax benefits are extended to landowners - both state and
federal - and much more information is available at
W. Burton also envisions an annual event for each holder and their
family, for all of them to get to know each other better.
Inge commented "The main thing is, we're able to accomplish our
mission. Our mission is to conserve and help the environment.
"This is another way of helping us meet our mission."
"For the most part, this is a win-win-win for the community, for the
landowner, for the state," Cole said.
Burton said the program helps meet the stated goal of Gov. Tim Kaine to
preserve 400,000 acres of open spaces in the state in his term.
Cole explained later the importance of protecting the agricultural
legacy and farmland.
"In the future, people are probably going to need those farms, not just
for food, but for energy, too. We're just now at the threshold at
beginning to look at the potential of being (able) to grow our way out
of our dependable of foreign oil."
Burton said the threats to open spaces are making their way to the
area, and he expressed a sense of urgency on this issue.
A conference on conservation easements to cover the Southern Virginia
region is planned soon, and that might be held in Halifax County.
"This is a really important topic in the state of Virginia right now,
because Virginia has traditionally been at the bottom of the heap in
terms of conservation efforts around the country," said Cole.
Burton sees this as a difference-making effort as part of the mission
statement of the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation. The effort will serve
southern Virginia, including Halifax, Mecklenburg, Charlotte and much
more of Southside Virginia.
For more information, the public can call Conservation Partners at
540-464-1899 or Burton's office in Halifax at (434) 476-7038.