Department of Conservation and Recreation
Conserve. Protect. Enjoy.
Department of Conservation and Recreation
As of June 2025, about 17.15% (4.32 million acres) of Virginia’s land is permanently protected. More than half of these protected lands are managed by the federal government, 34% is managed by state government, 8% is managed by nonprofits and more than 3% is managed by local governments.
There are numerous federal, state and local agencies, as well as private organizations that protect land. They accept land from a landowner in fee-simple title or under a conservation or open-space easement. They do so to retain the property's natural or historic values to:
Visit DCR's Conservation Lands Database to learn more
Visit the Natural Heritage Data Explorer to locate conserved lands in Virginia.
