Virginia DOF Working Lands Open-Space Easements

DOF accepts and holds perpetual open-space (conservation) easements on working farms and managed forests, with terms written to keep forestland intact and managed for agricultural and timber products. Most landowners donate the easement and may qualify for federal and Virginia state tax benefits; in some cases DOF helps pursue grant funding to purchase part of the easement value. Applications are ranked annually by the Office of Working Lands Preservation.

• Working farms and larger blocks of managed forest where the threat of development to non-agricultural uses is significant

• Additional consideration: soil and forest quality, property size, an implemented resource management plan, and confidence in the property boundary

• Selected projects need a 60-year title search, satisfactory title commitment, plats/legal descriptions (grant-funded: survey less than 20 years old)

Perpetual easement; DOF easement process and legal review take four to six months once title and survey items are received.

Published amounts: No direct payment for donated easements (tax benefits: federal tax donation and Virginia state tax credit); for grant-funded easements, DOF can work with landowners to pursue competitive grant funding to compensate landowners for a portion of the easement’s value.

Complete the Open-Space Easement Application (Form 10.01) and e-mail it to the Office of Working Lands Preservation (conservation@DOF.virginia.gov). Donated easements: due September 1 (selection by September 15). Grant-funded easements: due June 1.

Deadline text on the page: For “donated easements”, where 100% of the value of the easement will be donated by the landowner to the Commonwealth, applications are due by September 1. For “grant-funded easements” ... applications are due June 1.