Conservation

Virginia’s forests provide a wide range of benefits including timber and other forest products, wildlife habitat, improving water quality and air quality, and aesthetics. All of which are critical to the health and well-being of Virginians. One of the missions of the VDOF is to ensure that these forests and the waters that flow from them are conserved today and for future generations. You can learn about options for conservation and the conservation work of our agency through the links below.

Land Conservation

Conserving forest land, either for themselves or future generations, is a major concern of Virginia landowners. The VDOF offers tools and resources to help landowners achieve these goals. Our forest land conservation Web page has all the information to get you started.

• Do you want to conserve your forest land for future generations? We have many opportunities and programs available in Virginia.
  • Incentive programs, including programs such as Tomorrow Woods, offered by state and federal agencies help offset the costs of implementing a conservation activity
  • Conservation easements allow you to protect your land from development while reducing the taxes you pay

Water Conservation

The VDOF plays a significant role in maintaining water quality in Virginia. Our activities include:

• Inspecting timber harvest sites to ensure that sediment isn't eroding into streams and waterways
• Monitoring streams for sediment deposition, and conducting field audits
• Assisting citizens and landowners to create rain gardens and riparian forest buffers on their property

Inspect timber harvest sites

Did You Know? Loggers must notify us of their timber harvests using this online form.

Ensuring water quality is a major activity of the VDOF. Soil disturbed on a timber harvest site can add sediment to streams; our water quality inspections of logging sites assist loggers in following environmentally safe best management practices to keep streams free of these sediments. If loggers do not follow "best management practices" on harvest sites, sediment deposition may occur, and that can cause them to face civil penalties under the Silvicultural Water Quality Law.

Monitor streams and conduct audits

In Virginia, loggers are required to protect water quality, and the VDOF developed Best Management Practices (BMPs) as guidelines for proper timber harvesting for Virginia's loggers. To ensure voluntary compliance with these guidelines, the VDOF began conducting Best Management Practice Field Audits in 1993. Conducted four times a year, the field audits provide a useful tool in gauging the status of Virginia's water quality protection efforts.

Help landowners conserve water and ensure water quality

• Rain Gardens conserve rainwater and prevent erosion and you can create one where you live.
• Wooded buffer zones along streams, rivers, and the Bay can be classified as riparian forests.

Last modified: Thursday, 15-Dec-2011 16:46:38 EST