Special Country Properties Search the MLS Cheri and Martin Woodard 540-987-8500 37C Main Street Sperryville, VA 22740 cheri@cheriwoodard.com martin@cheriwoodard.com  | Conservation Easements
A conservation easement is a land preservation agreement between a landowner and a governmental or non-profit conservation organization that places permanent limits on future development of a property in order to protect the conservation values of the land. The easement may also specifically protect natural, scenic or historic features of the property. Both landowners and the county benefit from land in easement. The landowner saves on property taxes and receives significant financial benefits through federal income tax deductions and Virginia income tax credits. Additionally, landowners may realize estate tax benefits. Protected land benefits Rappahannock County through lower taxes and maintaining its rural character that is so appealing to residents and tourists. Cheri and Martin Woodard and Cheri Woodard Realty are strong supporters of conservation easements in Rappahannock. Along with a number of their neighbors, they placed their farm in the FT Valley in conservation easement. Cheri is currently Vice-president of the Rappahannock County Conservation Alliance, a local organization dedicated to promoting conservation easements. We are knowledgeable of the benefits and the process and would be pleased to discuss our experience. We offer a unique and personal insight on the value of conservation easements. For more information on conservation easements: Rappahannock County Conservation Alliance, 540-987-9118 or rcca1@earthlink.net. Click here to View Video about Easements: RCCA Virginia Outdoors Foundation, 540-347-7727 or www.vofonline.org |
Rappahannock County is a unique place of sublime pastoral landscapes, exceptional natural resources and productive farms and forests. It has remained a scenic island in a sea of development because of far-sighted zoning, the Shenandoah National Park and conservation easements. With approximately 30% of Rappahannock County’s land mass in the Shenandoah National Park and 20% in conservation easements, half of the entire county is protected from development forever.