WV Rivers Coalition is proud to serve as the host partner for the Safe Water Conservation Collaborative, a vibrant network of more than 25 partners, including water utilities, land conservation organizations, and community groups working together with the mission “Protecting Drinking Water through Land Conservation” in the Eastern Panhandle.

We asked three local landowners to share their stories of why they chose to conserve their land and water with a conservation easement.

What’s a conservation easement? It’s a voluntary, legal agreement that protects their land forever from future real estate or commercial development. As the landowner, they will always own their land and have all of the rights and uses they currently have, including the right to sell or bequeath their land, while also knowing that their legacy and stewardship will live on even after they are gone.

Susan Whalton and her husband moved to the Eastern Panhandle 25 years ago and immediately fell in love with this community, and with our landscapes, streams, and wildlife. When they learned they could protect their land and water forever with a conservation easement, they jumped on that opportunity.

Floyd Kursey is a lifelong farmer and conserved their family farm as a way to honor not only his heritage, but also leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

Tom Gleason and his family share decades of love and laughter on their land along Back Creek. Their conservation easement ensures that their way of living will be protected forever.

All three landowners recognize the significance of protecting their land to conserve the streams and rivers that serve as our drinking water supplies, and they encourage fellow landowners to consider conserving their farms, fields, and forests.

To watch the videos and learn more, visit the Collaborative’s website.

Interested in volunteering with the Collaborative? Contact us about ways you can get involved.