Goochland County launches webpage to educate landowners about conservation easements

Goochland County has launched a new webpage aimed at increasing awareness and education around conservation easements, the county posted March 02, 2026, naming the Goochland County Planning Department as the contact at 804-556-5860. The announcement appears in the site’s News Flash area under the section labeled "Planning and Zoining."

The county describes the page’s purpose plainly: "This page provides resources to landowners who are interested in helping to preserve the landscapes that matter most to their communities by donating an easement." The site frames the page as an educational tool that explains how conservation easements work and supplies resources for landowners considering donating easements to protect farms, forests, open space, or historic landscapes.

The county’s post includes clear language about what easements do: "These easements permanently protect the land and can be crafted to meet specific needs and visions of the landowner." The announcement also notes a financial consideration: "donating a conservation easement may make a landowner eligible for certain income and property tax benefits." The posted text does not specify particular tax programs or eligibility criteria.

Goochland’s announcement places the new webpage in local historical context, noting that "Goochland County is home to the first recorded conservation easement in Virginia; donated in June 1968 by James M. Ball Jr. to the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, covering a 104-acre parcel." The county’s post uses that history to underscore a long-running role for easements in the locality.

The county expanded the frame to the statewide level, writing that "Across the Commonwealth, communities have come together to raise awareness about the vital role conservation easements play in safeguarding working farms, forests, sensitive natural resources, open spaces, and historic places." The announcement also states that "Today, there are roughly 30 land trusts in Virginia, working alongside counties and state agencies, that help preserve the rural landscapes and character that define the state."

The webpage announcement is embedded in Goochland’s site layout that lists "Goochland County VA Homepage Search Facebook Instagram X YouTube" and invites users to "Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more." The posting repeats the headline "New Webpage Seeks to Increase Awareness of Conservation Easements" and is presented without a visible web address; the excerpt reads, "If you are interested in learning more about conservation easements, please visit or call the Goochland County Planning Department at 804-556-5860."

The posted material does not list a URL, specific county programs, partner land trusts, sample forms, case studies, or scheduled outreach events. County staff reachable at 804-556-5860 can confirm the full webpage address and whether the county will offer direct technical assistance, legal referrals, or workshops tied to the new resources.