Department of Conservation and Recreation
Conserve. Protect. Enjoy.
Department of Conservation and Recreation
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation has taken ownership of a nearly 7,400-acre site in Halifax County donated to the commonwealth for permanent conservation.
The tract, known as Falkland Farms, adjoins Difficult Creek Natural Area Preserve and Staunton River State Park, thereby creating the largest DCR-owned property to date.
These lands are also contiguous with other federally and state-owned conservation lands, so the project results in a 40,000-acre contiguous landscape of permanently protected lands and waters.
DCR’s plan is to restore much of the property to its pre-European settlement condition. This ecological restoration project will be guided and performed by staff from the Virginia Natural Heritage Program and Virginia State Parks.
The property is incredibly significant for biodiversity conservation in the Virginia Piedmont and beyond. Thousands of acres of hardpan soils, underlain by Virgilina green stone and Aaron slate, make it ripe for the restoration of native savanna, rare and threatened plants and significant natural communities.
The mission of the Virginia Natural Heritage Program is to conserve Virginia’s native biodiversity. Virginia’s Natural Area Preserve System is managed by program staff.
Falkland Farms is a peninsula on the Banister, Dan and Hyco rivers. The property contains vast wetlands and 40 miles of streams, all of which are now permanently conserved under DCR ownership.
Down the road, DCR plans to offer public recreation opportunities on portions of the property through the Virginia State Parks system. DCR will invite the public to participate in developing long-term plans for recreational use as the agency identifies the necessary resources to plan, develop and provide public access. During this planning and transition period, it will remain closed to ensure public safety.
Falkland Farms presents a unique opportunity to achieve multiple missions within the agency.
