February 27, 2008

Contact: George Santucci 336/846-4871 or 336/977-1519

george@ncnr.org

NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE NEW RIVER HELPS VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA FAMILIES PROTECT THEIR LAND

(West Jefferson, NC) -- Utilizing an important conservation tool, conservation easements, three families in the southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina border country recently permanently protected historic family lands vital to the long-term health of the New River.

The Crossover Farm conservation easement is a working cattle farm, located in Alleghany County where the New River crosses into North Carolina from Virginia for the first time. The lands have been in the family for five generation; encroaching second home development across the river motivated the family to protect their farm and preserve their agricultural heritage. Canoeists, kayakers, and fishing enthusiasts frequently use this spectacular section of the New River and will forever enjoy the view shed the family has permanently preserved. The protected land encompasses 206 acres and an entire mile of riverfront. With the help of NCNR, the family was able to purchase an adjacent parcel just downstream from the farm and donate an additional conservation easement on this land as well.

The Peach Bottom Creek Headwaters conservation easement includes 174 acres and is located just a few miles north of Independence, Virginia. Roughly 20 springs, and several perennial and intermittent streams which form the headwaters of Peach Bottom Creek, are included in the parcel. A tributary of the New River, Peach Bottom Creek’s health is critical to the New River’s water quality, according to NCNR’s Executive Director, George Santucci. “The family is conservation-minded and have installed a wind turbine, heat and cool their home geo-thermally, and plan on constructing a solar array in the near future,” says Santucci. “Everything they do to protect Peach Bottom Creek’s headwaters on their property protects the New River upstream for everyone to enjoy forever.” In the future, Peach Bottom Creek easement’s landowners plan to use their property for environmental workshops and demonstrations. In addition to protecting this critical tributary to the New River, the view shed on an important portion of Buck Mountain is also forever protected with this easement.

NCNR worked with Conservation Partners to make the Peach Bottom Creek Headwaters easement possible. Conservation Partners helps Virginians realize the benefits of land conservation and provides support services to conservation easement donors, conservation professionals, and purchasers of high-quality land preservation tax credits. Since its founding, Conservation Partners has worked with easement donors who have protected approximately 40,000 acres of farms, forests, and other open space land in Virginia. They can be found on the web at: www.conservationpartnersllc.com

At the Riverside Drive conservation easement in Grayson County, Virginia, 74 acres are now protected along a stretch of the New River that is rapidly being converted into recreational vehicle parks. Riverside Drive easement contains vital flood plain historically used for agriculture, as well as a completely forested section. The easement is an addition to an expanding corridor of protected land along this stretch of the New River in the Fries-area of Virginia. NCNR’s George Santucci notes that “conservation easements protect land and water from encroaching development for everyone’s benefit and they are an especially effective tool for families to use because they allow land to remain in private hands and be passed on to future generations at the same time. “

NCNR envisions a permanently protected New River as a treasured natural resource. The mission of NCNR is to advocate for successful protection of the New River, to restore eroding river and stream banks and enhance riparian habitat, and to permanently protect land along the River. NCNR works in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina’s New River watershed. Over the last 31 years, the organization has protected nearly 5,000 acres of land important to the River’s water quality, scenic and natural values, and has restored over 56 miles of river and stream bank.