VLCF Funded Projects

Virginia’s working farms and forests, battlefields and other historic sites, natural areas, parks and rivers are critical to its economy, culture and quality of life. In 1999, the assembly and governor established the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation (VLCF) to fund protection of these resources. The interactive map below depicts VLCF-grant projects funded since 2000.

Name:	Lee County Cave Isopod Habitat Protection
Category:	Natural Area Preservation
Grant Round:	FY15
Acres:	266.78
Locality:	Lee County
Management Agency:	Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
Owner:	Private
ConserveVirginia:	None
Amount Awarded:	$160,000.00
Applicant:	The Nature Conservancy
Latitude:	36.6579027
Longitude:	-83.191689
Description:	The Nature Conservancy (TNC) utilized $127,157 in grant funding from VLCF to acquire three critical properties in the Powell River/Cedars area of Lee County, Virginia. The objective of this project was to purchase significant karst and riparian lands to reduce threats to water quality and to protect a federally listed cave species and habitat for several rare plants and animals. Once acquired by TNC, the properties were dedicated as part of The Cedars Natural Area Preserve and protected as open space land. Matching funds were provided by a Recovery Land Acquisition grant awarded by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries in partnership with TNC. This project is a critical step towards fully meeting the recovery goals for the federally listed Lee County cave isopod (Lirceus usdagalun) and the eventual de-listing of the species by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.