from the VDOF press release:

The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) has secured its first conservation easement in Appomattox County – a 275-acre working forest easement owned by Joan Rockwell and Hugh Radcliffe. The property, known as Rockcliffe Farm, borders the James River near the Beckham community.

A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a government agency or a non-profit conservation organization that protects the conservation values of a property. Most easements place permanent limits on future development to protect these values. The landowner continues to own, use and control the land. A working forest easement protects forest values and benefits by assuring sustainable forest management practices will run with the property in perpetuity, providing continuous supplies of forest products and environmental services, such as clean air and water, wildlife habitat and scenic values.

The easement on Rockcliffe Farm ensures that the property will remain in its natural wooded state while still providing income for Hugh and Joan as a retreat. Rockcliffe Farm has operated as a retreat and lodge since 2006, and the “peaceful woods are a critical amenity to the business”. While the easement limits division of the property and construction of buildings, the property remains available to guests for fishing, canoeing, swimming, hiking, trail riding, camping and getting reunited with nature.

Read the whole press release here.