Land Saver Award
The Land Saver Award recognizes those individuals who have not only permanently protected their own land, but through their advocacy have encouraged others to save land as well.
The Land Saver Award is presented annually at BRLC’s fall Conservation Celebration benefit. A special committee of Land Trust board members and volunteers selects the recipient. For more information on the award or to submit a nomination, call the Land Trust at (540) 985-0000 or email.
The Land Saver Award is presented annually at BRLC’s fall Conservation Celebration benefit. A special committee of Land Trust board members and volunteers selects the recipient. For more information on the award or to submit a nomination, call the Land Trust at (540) 985-0000 or email.
2010 to 2023 Recipients
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2023 Recipient: Danny Thompson
Danny Thompson has worked to permanently protect several farms in Floyd and Franklin Counties with both BRLC and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. Danny and his wife, Martha, have been long time supporters of conservation in Virginia and we are excited to recognize this work with the Land Saver Award |
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2018 Recipient: The Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club The Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club was founded in 1932. Along the Appalachian Trail, there are 30 other clubs similar to this one and all of them are geared towards conserving land. Each club's purpose is to advocate for, maintain, and address threats to the Appalachian Trail. 120 miles of the Appalachian Trail are protected by the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club, from Bland, Virginia all the way to Black Horse Gap in Buchanan. |
2019 Recipient: Dr. David Jones
The recipient of this year’s Landsaver Award from the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy was Dr. David Jones. He is a conservation-minded orthodontist in Martinsville that has combined his love of fishing, conservation, and the Smith River. He has done so by implementing Trout in the Classroom programs in over 30 elementary and middle schools. This program teaches young minds the importance of conservation and how local ecosystems are impacted by human activities. Dr. Jones has made a lasting impact on the conservation movement in South Western Virginia. 
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Mrs. Whitney Feldman, second from front right, and other members of the Mill Mountain Garden Club.
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2017 Recipient: Whitney Feldmann
The Land Saver Award was presented to Mrs. Whitney Feldmann. Whitney has been a long-time board member of the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy, and has served in several conservation-oriented groups throughout Virginia including the Mill Mountain Garden Club. She conserved her farm in Botetourt with a Virginia Outdoors Foundation agreement and has done extensive management for wild grouse on her family farm. |
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2016 Recipient: David Hurt
David Hurt of Franklin County received the Land Saver Award in October 2016. David was the first project manager for Blue Ridge Land Conservancy, and continued his conservation career with Conservation Partners, LLC, helping protect land across Southside and Southwest Virginia. He now owns and operates Truman Hill Farm, a grass-fed beef operation, on his conserved family farm in Franklin County and works with conservation properties as a Realtor with MKB, Realtors. |
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Jim and Jill Woltz with their two sons
2015 Recipient: Jim and Jill Woltz
A longtime promoter of land conservation, Jim Woltz has worked throughout his career to protect special places in this part of the world. A pioneer in open space conservation, he and his wife, Jill, have worked to conserve more than 1,500 acres on Poor Mountain, along the New River Trail, a pristine trout stream below the famed Twin Falls in Floyd County, and in North Carolina. Jim was also responsible for saving about 6,000 acres with conservation agreements in Grayson, Carroll, and Wythe Counties along the New River. His most recent success in conservation has been his work to preserve Natural Bridge in Rockbridge County. When the previous owner contacted Jim’s company, Woltz and Associates, to auction the property, Woltz saw an opportunity to protect one of Virginia’s most beautiful landmarks. He worked with private non-profit organizations as well as the Commonwealth of Virginia to secure the bridge’s future.
A longtime promoter of land conservation, Jim Woltz has worked throughout his career to protect special places in this part of the world. A pioneer in open space conservation, he and his wife, Jill, have worked to conserve more than 1,500 acres on Poor Mountain, along the New River Trail, a pristine trout stream below the famed Twin Falls in Floyd County, and in North Carolina. Jim was also responsible for saving about 6,000 acres with conservation agreements in Grayson, Carroll, and Wythe Counties along the New River. His most recent success in conservation has been his work to preserve Natural Bridge in Rockbridge County. When the previous owner contacted Jim’s company, Woltz and Associates, to auction the property, Woltz saw an opportunity to protect one of Virginia’s most beautiful landmarks. He worked with private non-profit organizations as well as the Commonwealth of Virginia to secure the bridge’s future.
2014 Recipients: Bruce and Elaine Ingram
Bruce and Elaine Ingram have a sure fire formula to save land by working at what they do best. Together, they have produced more than 2,100 outdoor articles and five books and use their income to buy land and protect it with conservation easements. Their work has protected 412 acres of forested slopes on Sinking Creek and Potts mountains in Craig county with conservation easements held by Virginia Outdoors Foundation.
The Ingrams live as connected to the land as possible. Bruce floated down the New, James, Shenandoah, and Rappahannock rivers before writing books about them and his love for hunting and fishing is apparent in his work for 70 publications. He also brings in ten deer each fall to stock their freezer, and he and Elaine pick about 15 gallons of berries and other fruits each year. They also keep Rhode Island Red chickens in the back yard.
Bruce and Elaine Ingram have a sure fire formula to save land by working at what they do best. Together, they have produced more than 2,100 outdoor articles and five books and use their income to buy land and protect it with conservation easements. Their work has protected 412 acres of forested slopes on Sinking Creek and Potts mountains in Craig county with conservation easements held by Virginia Outdoors Foundation.
The Ingrams live as connected to the land as possible. Bruce floated down the New, James, Shenandoah, and Rappahannock rivers before writing books about them and his love for hunting and fishing is apparent in his work for 70 publications. He also brings in ten deer each fall to stock their freezer, and he and Elaine pick about 15 gallons of berries and other fruits each year. They also keep Rhode Island Red chickens in the back yard.
"Saving Land with easements is a legacy, a gift for our children and grandchildren." |
2013 Recipients: Al Hammond
Al Hammond, a third-generation printer/farmer, will receive the 2013 Land Saver Award at the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy’s annual Conservation Celebration on Sunday, September 22. Al Hammond has placed three easements, one with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and two with the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy, on Glenbourne Farm, his 326-acre hilltop property in eastern Roanoke County. In addition to conserving his land, Al has become very active in pioneering and promoting agritourism in southwest Virginia.
Al and Nancy Hammond had 64 weddings at their Boxtree Lodge last year and they’re fully booked for 2013 (April though October) and taking reservations for 2014. Many corporate and group events met at their Braeloch center, a 12,000-square-foot meeting place. Next up will be On the Glen at Glenbourne, a 9,000-square-foot, six-sided venue for music events and plays, to be built later this year. Later plans are for festivals along the Roanoke River, across from Explore Park.
Hammond, an outdoorsman who hunts birds and turkeys and once climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, believes the time is right to expand his hospitality business “At 81, I can’t raise sheep” as he did for 30 years. Hammond’s goal is “to protect the land and have the income to support it.” His conservation easements help him achieve this goal and also support his agritourism efforts. Recently, Hammond held an agritourism workshop on his property to build support for and market the potential for agritourism here in the Roanoke Valley.
Al Hammond’s mother, Mary Kirk Hammond, bought an 1823 brick house and some land around it in 1934. She improved the house and Al remembers taking eggs to town from boyhood days. When he grew up, he began buying tracts of adjoining farm land in 1954. Only recently has he finished piecing the farm back together. The farm has a network of trails and roads leading down to a scenic stretch of the Roanoke River where a buffer protects water quality downstream and for the endangered Roanoke Logperch.
Al Hammond, a third-generation printer/farmer, will receive the 2013 Land Saver Award at the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy’s annual Conservation Celebration on Sunday, September 22. Al Hammond has placed three easements, one with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and two with the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy, on Glenbourne Farm, his 326-acre hilltop property in eastern Roanoke County. In addition to conserving his land, Al has become very active in pioneering and promoting agritourism in southwest Virginia.
Al and Nancy Hammond had 64 weddings at their Boxtree Lodge last year and they’re fully booked for 2013 (April though October) and taking reservations for 2014. Many corporate and group events met at their Braeloch center, a 12,000-square-foot meeting place. Next up will be On the Glen at Glenbourne, a 9,000-square-foot, six-sided venue for music events and plays, to be built later this year. Later plans are for festivals along the Roanoke River, across from Explore Park.
Hammond, an outdoorsman who hunts birds and turkeys and once climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, believes the time is right to expand his hospitality business “At 81, I can’t raise sheep” as he did for 30 years. Hammond’s goal is “to protect the land and have the income to support it.” His conservation easements help him achieve this goal and also support his agritourism efforts. Recently, Hammond held an agritourism workshop on his property to build support for and market the potential for agritourism here in the Roanoke Valley.
Al Hammond’s mother, Mary Kirk Hammond, bought an 1823 brick house and some land around it in 1934. She improved the house and Al remembers taking eggs to town from boyhood days. When he grew up, he began buying tracts of adjoining farm land in 1954. Only recently has he finished piecing the farm back together. The farm has a network of trails and roads leading down to a scenic stretch of the Roanoke River where a buffer protects water quality downstream and for the endangered Roanoke Logperch.
2012 Recipients: Ned and Janet Yost
Ned and Janet donated a conservation easement on his 289-acre farm in 2002 to WVLT and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, and he hasn’t stopped talking about it ever since. In 1952, Ned’s parents bought the farm which had been held by five generations of the McDonald family from the 1790s to the mid-20th century. Ned and Janet Yost live in Charlottesville but they often head for the scenic Catawba valley and their rustic cabin beside the old mill.
While Yost gives much credit to organizations like the Western Virginia Land Trust, he also admits “it doesn’t take much for me to launch into a pitch about conservation easements.” Yost explains his missionary approach to promote easements: “It doesn’t take a strong pitch. I try to back off and find out a little bit about folks, their situation, goals and roots here; do they have any feeling for the area? Then I tailor my pitch to that aspect, what will resonate with them.” His perception is that “the better prospect should have a feeling for the land, for the history of the area.”
Ned and Janet donated a conservation easement on his 289-acre farm in 2002 to WVLT and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, and he hasn’t stopped talking about it ever since. In 1952, Ned’s parents bought the farm which had been held by five generations of the McDonald family from the 1790s to the mid-20th century. Ned and Janet Yost live in Charlottesville but they often head for the scenic Catawba valley and their rustic cabin beside the old mill.
While Yost gives much credit to organizations like the Western Virginia Land Trust, he also admits “it doesn’t take much for me to launch into a pitch about conservation easements.” Yost explains his missionary approach to promote easements: “It doesn’t take a strong pitch. I try to back off and find out a little bit about folks, their situation, goals and roots here; do they have any feeling for the area? Then I tailor my pitch to that aspect, what will resonate with them.” His perception is that “the better prospect should have a feeling for the land, for the history of the area.”
2010 Recipients: Jim and Esta Wilson
Jim and Esta Wilson of Martinsville have protected more than 1,300 acres of land along the Blue Ridge Parkway with conservation easements.
Jim is a former trustee of the Western Virginia Land Trust (now Blue Ridge Land Conservancy). They are now advocates for conservation easements in the Martinsville/Henry County area and take pride in the legacy they’ve created.
Jim and Esta Wilson of Martinsville have protected more than 1,300 acres of land along the Blue Ridge Parkway with conservation easements.
Jim is a former trustee of the Western Virginia Land Trust (now Blue Ridge Land Conservancy). They are now advocates for conservation easements in the Martinsville/Henry County area and take pride in the legacy they’ve created.
With all the beauty that God has given us through nature and this earth,
we need to leave as much as we can for the future generations to enjoy as much as we have.
-Jim Wilson
