As of 27 May 2020 the Berkeley County Farmland Protection Board closed on seven conservation easements during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first easement during this period closed on 27 February 2020 and was the last closing where staff, board members, and the property owner’s family were able to attend. The remaining six closings were completed using strict personal distancing rules and keeping signing events separated by several days.
In all, an additional 518 acres of prime farm and woodland were added to our portfolio. We now manage 61 easements totaling 5,777 acres. Three of the new properties were co-funded by monies from the WV Department of Environmental Protection, through Federal section 318, Clean Water Act funds. This project was administered through the WV Conservation Agency and the Eastern Panhandle Conservation District. One property consisted of a 50:50 match with NRCS/USDA funds. The remaining projects were funded using local monies only.