Conservation Easements in Loudoun County

There are over 75,000 acres of land protected by conservation easements in Loudoun County, as displayed in the interactive map below. 

Conservation easements are voluntary, deed-restricting property amendments that limit the amount of development that can be placed on a parcel of private land. The land use restriction often results in tax savings for the landowner.

Landowners can use easements to 

  • protect their farmland
  • preserve cultural and historic sites
  • sustain working farms and landscapes
  • maintain the natural beauty of an area

To enter into a conservation easement, a landowner works with a land trust to develop a legal agreement that limits the uses of the land, while still allowing landowners to continue to own and use their land for approved purposes. They can also sell it to a third party or pass it on to heirs. The limits of the conservation easement ‘run with the land,’ meaning that even if the land is inherited or sold, the restrictions stay in place. The program provides up to $25,000, or half of the upfront costs of placing land under conservation easement, to land trusts representing qualifying landowners in Loudoun County. The funds will be applied to the landowner’s easement process.

Landowners must be working with a qualifying land trust to be eligible. Landowners interested in learning more about placing their land under a conservation easement should contact a land trust. If the land trust agrees, the land trust will apply on behalf of the landowner.

Contact one of these land trusts for more information: 

Conservation Easement Programs Managed by Loudoun County Government

Conservation Easement Assistance Program

The Conservation Easement Assistance Program is a grant program to assist land owners with the upfront costs of placing property under a conservation easement for which a land trust will be the holder.

Conservation Easement Stewardship Program

The Conservation Easement Stewardship Program assists owners of property under a conservation easement for which the Board of Supervisors is a holder or co-holder.

Interactive Map: Conservation Easements

View a larger map.