We need your assistance in gathering copies of deeds of conservation easement from all land conservation organizations in Virginia. Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) is compiling a library of digital deeds as well as a database to search, summarize, and assess the entire portfolio of conservation easements in Virginia.  

Support from the Virginia Environmental Endowment (VEE) and partnership with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), facilitated the compilation of more than 4,400 deeds in a searchable digital format.  An associated summary database enables searching of various protected resources (e.g., stream buffers, historic designations, or scenic protections).   While this is a great start, many more deeds need to be included.   If you have not shared your deeds in the past or have new deeds to be included, now is a great time to submit them.

VOF and VaULT request all holders of conservation easements to share a copy of their deed instrument, either digital or paper.  Please include the easement holding (submitting) organization, county of recordation and date of recordation in the Description of the uploaded file.   

The preferred format is as a high-resolution (300dpi), searchable PDF document.  However, we will take whatever format is available.  Digital files can be posted to:   http://www.virginiaoutdoorsfoundation.org/upload/deeds/.   

Paper copies can be mailed to VOF’s Richmond office:  Virginia Outdoors Foundation, 600 E. Main St, Suite 402, Richmond, VA 23219.

We are looking for deeds from county governments, state agencies, soil and water conservation districts and private land trusts.  For private land trusts, this at least partially fulfills the notification requirement within the Conservation Easement Act.

Please email Dave Morton (dmorton@vofonline.org), if you have any questions or to make arrangements for sending a large number of files.

Thank you for your assistance,