The Land Trust of Virginia (LTV) recently announced their 2010 Challenge Grant Campaign, with the goal of raising $50,000 to help the land trust preserve open space, farms, forests, and historic places in Virginia.

The Land Trust Board challenges you to help match the $50,000 in donations already pledged—that means every dollar you donate to LTV this fall will be doubled!

The Challenge Grant was announced on September 12, 2010 at the LTV Celebration of Conservation. The event was hosted by Rose Marie Bogley—an accomplished horsewoman and dedicated conservationist—at her 365-acre Bollingbrook estate in Upperville, which she placed in easement with LTV last year.

"With your help, the Land Trust can preserve our countryside and historical properties in perpetuity," says Turner Smith, LTV Chairman. "Conservation easements are the single most important tool that we have to protect our lands from development—forever."

Why is the Challenge Grant So Important? Despite the economic downturn, development continues to eat away at farms and forest land, particularly in the northern Piedmont of Virginia.

The Land Trust of Virginia is saving our community's open spaces, mountains, water resources, and historic sites, one parcel at a time, by working with private landowners to place voluntary conservation easements on their lands.

In the last year alone, LTV has preserved more than 1,500 acres, including some of the most spectacular scenic and historic properties in Virginia. LTV now holds 106 easements on nearly 11,000 acres of land, and is poised to take many more.

LTV has proven, time and again, that it is able to use private donations wisely and effectively to preserve our land, water, farms, forests, and historic places.

We need your help to preserve the rural communities and surrounding lands where we all live and raise our families. The need for action is great, and the need for action is now, before the lands are taken for development and our open spaces are lost forever. With your help, LTV will continue its successful efforts to save Virginia's beautiful countryside. We urge you to give all you can.

To make a contribution: Visit www.landtrustva.org or simply mail your check to the Land Trust of Virginia, P.O. Box 14, Middleburg, Va. 20118.