Owning Land Under Conservation Easement

What Land Use is Allowable

Each deed of easement is specific to an individual area of land and they have differing requirements.  When an agreement is signed, both the easement holder(s) and the property owner agree to specific terms that assure the property remains protected.  

The Permanent Conservation Easements of Loudoun County Interactive Map can be used to find the holder(s) of an easement in the county.  Click a property to see the holder(s) information.

Board of Supervisors Held Easements

The Conservation Easement Stewardship Program assists: 

  • Owners of properties with conservation easements for which the Board of Supervisors is a holder or co-holder to ensure that the terms of the easements continue to be met.  
  • The Department of Building & Development in reviewing permit application requests for properties with Board of Supervisors-held easements. 

If you have questions about your Board of Supervisors-held easement, contact us by email or call 703-771-5778.  

Please note, due to the complexity and time involvement of permit application reviews, they are only conducted when a permit application and site plan have been submitted by the current landowner.  Staff may be able to advise on land uses that are generally allowable, but cannot give any project implied or explicit approval without the formal review.  

It is recommended that landowners and prospective buyers review the terms of the easement with a land use and zoning attorney.  

Loudoun County staff are not able to provide legal advice or attorney recommendations. The Virginia State Bar Association's Lawyer Referral Service will match customers with an attorney based on geographical location and requested area of legal practice. Please call 800-552-7977 or visit https://www.vsb.org/vlrs/ for more information.  

Easements Held by Other Organizations

Contact the organization that holds the easement directly if you have questions about what is allowable.  Attorneys can also assist in interpreting deeds of easement.

Donating an Easement

There are many land conservation organizations in Virginia to assist landowners interested in putting an easement on their property.

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation maintains a list of the organizations and land trusts that serve each region of the state.