Conservation Close to Home
The New River Land Trust works to conserve farmland, forests, open spaces, and historic places in the New River region of Southwest Virginia. Since 2002, we have helped protect over 55,000 acres of land in the region and over 26 miles of New River frontage.
The result is that productive farmland, wildlife habitat, scenic views, climate resilient areas, and water quality are protected. We use cutting-edge technology to identify land in critical need of conservation. We work with partners, including local governments, on larger land policy and conservation issues, such as the future Brush Mountain Park project. We also educate and assist landowners to conserve their land by voluntarily donating conservation easements on their property.
Our Youth Outreach program and the Nature Play Space in Heritage Park connect kids to the outdoors, reaching out to the next generation of conservationists. The program helps kids form a meaningful, healthy, and lifelong relationship with nature and the outdoors.
Please become a supporter or subscribe to our e-news today, and support “Conservation Close to Home“.
Upcoming Events
Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour
We are excited to present the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at the Moss Arts Center in Blacksburg, VA. Films start at 7pm, doors open at 6pm. The World Tour, featuring the most breathtaking and moving outdoor films from the 9-day Banff Mountain Film… Read more
News
NRLT Receives Grant for School Rain Garden
Thanks to a grant from the New River Valley Master Gardener’s Association, we’ll work with 72 fourth graders at Eastern Montgomery Elementary School to install a rain garden on school grounds this spring. A rain garden is a garden of native shrubs, perennials, and flowers planted in a small depression…. Read more
Join the Corporate Campaign for Brush Mountain Trails
The New River Land Trust is raising funds for the construction of a multi-use trail system on Brush Mountain. Phase 1 of the project includes the construction of approximately four miles of trails over two parcels and is estimated to cost $100,000. The NRLT is seeking financial support from the… Read more
New Technology Brings Conservation Into Focus
When you think of land conservation, you might picture our staff and landowners outside, walking a property. And you’d mostly be right. But new technologies can make the work of prioritizing outreach to landowners and evaluating properties faster and more accurate. We use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data and technology… Read more
Community Conservation: Spruce Run
While we frequently work one-on-one with landowners interested in conservation, we recently became aware that in the Spruce Run community, development was on the minds of many of the residents. A landowner in the early stages of conserving his farm discussed his plans with neighbors, and we reached out to… Read more
Brush Mountain Park Project Update
NRLT purchased two properties totaling 552 acres on the south face of Brush Mountain last year with money from Virginia Outdoor Foundation’s Forest CORE Fund. We plan to transfer the properties to the Town of Blacksburg to become a public park. In the meantime, we’re working on the construction of… Read more