Recent News

  • Enhanced Easement Incentive will expire at the end of this year

     

    While Congress continues to debate a payroll tax cut extension, it appears that the enhanced easement incentive will expire at the end of this year. Landowners and land trusts for whom the enhanced deduction is essential should do whatever they can to ensure their easements are recorded by December 31.

  • Over 4.5 Million in funding for The Natural Resources Conservation Service in 2012

     

    The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) just received $4,589,047 in Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) funds for federal fiscal year 2012 in Virginia.  This is almost twice as much funding as last year!  The NRCS will use this money to assist Virginia’s land conservation community in the purchase of conservation easements on private lands.

  • 100,000 acres may be leased in region for gas, oil exploration

    A Texas-based company is trying to lease 100,000 acres in the Fredericksburg region to drill for oil and gas.  Shore Exploration and Production Corp. is paying landowners in Caroline, Essex, King George and Westmoreland counties a one-time rental fee of $15 per acre for the chance to get on their property and dig for natural resources.  Read more here.

  • Warner: Protect Virginia's River - OP Ed from the Richmond Times Dispatch

    Virginia is blessed with rivers that are an integral part of our history, economy and culture — rivers like the Shenandoah, where as a boy I spent long summer days fishing and swimming. It was there I learned the rhythms of the seasons, the value of clean water, and the amazing natural beauty of our commonwealth. Read entire opinion from 2/11/2011 Richmond Times Dispatch http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/feb/11/TDOPIN02-warner-protect-virginias-rivers-ar-834873/

  • Why you should put your land in easement in 2011

    The Federal and State Governments have recently extended incentives for conservation easement donations. Following are the details for each.

    Federal Tax Incentive, Virginia State Tax Credits
  • Biscuit Run - Article from http://www.readthehook.com/

     

  • 2010 Report

    Our 2010 Report/Newsletter was sent out this fall, but you can download it here in pdf format as well.

    2010_ecca_annual_report.pdf
  • Essex County Countryside Alliance Blog

    This just in...the ECCA has a new blog.  We are adding a bunch of new bloggers to our site that we can all learn from.  Make sure you check back regularly to keep up with what we are doing to help conserve the countryside that makes Essex special.  If you are on Facebook, make sure you become a fan of the ECCA. That way, you will see wall posts when we add new content.  The same goes for Twitter, you can follow us at essexcca. 

     

  • Eastern Box Turtle: Disappearing Gems of the Forest

    The Eastern box turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina , is probably the most commonly known turtle to anyone raised in the east.  Common as they seem to be, scientists claim that they are declining, and that the turtles we now see are ghost representatives of the species….they are all older adults.  Why they are disappearing and what can you do to help save them?   Landowners of large blocks of forest are in the best position to ensure persistence of the species. But, first, let’s learn a little about the animal.

  • Purchase of Development Rights: Another Option for Conservation Minded Landowners

    Many landowners are familiar with conservation easements, a vehicle for preserving land in perpetuity, but they may not be aware of another option: selling the development rights to their property. As a result of donating a conservation easement on their property, a landowner may realize a federal tax deduction for their charitable contribution, state tax credits (which can be used or sold in Virginia), lower estate taxes and sometimes lower real estate taxes.