Conserving a Corridor Along the North Folk Holston River- Washington County, VA

Dr. Richard Rolen first considered a conservation easement with one goal in mind- he wanted to protect his impressive 685+ acre property from future development. "The land is beautiful and I don't want it ever developed, even after I'm gone."

With his goal in mind, Dr. Rolen partnered with the Conservation Partners team to begin exploring options for how to move forward. We knew right away that this property was special and would make an excellent applicant for the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation (VLCF) grant program. By permanently conserving his property, Dr. Rolen is protecting high ecological cores which supports wildlife habitats and ecosystems, one mile of frontage along the North Fork Holston River and six miles of streams, high forest conservation values, and important karst features.

In partnership with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, Bridget Braunscheidel, Director of Grant Programs at Conservation Partners, prepared and submitted the Rolen application. Dr. Rolen's application was subsequently awarded in late 2024 with the easement recording in December of 2025.

We asked Dr. Rolen about his experience working through the VLCF grant and easement donation process. "The process was a little longer than I expected but the financial benefits were impressive and I really feel like this was a win-win situation. Even though I restricted the development of the property, the easement doesn't restrict my enjoyment of the property. I can still hunt, timber and manage my forests, and enjoy all types of outdoor recreation."

He also expressed gratitude to our team for aiding in the application and easement process. "It is a lot of paperwork! Conservation Partners told me they would take care of everything and they did. I would encourage anyone to work with the Conservation Partners team for their expertise and assistance."

We hope Tomato, the Rolen family's golden retriever, is also very pleased with the permanent protection of this stunning property.

Please enjoy this gallery of the property's various wildlife and features, courtesy of Dr. Rolen.