Winter 2020

Land Savers WINTER 2020–2021

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Vol. 23, Issue 3

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020 What’s new at the land conservancy? Page 2 How the CARES Act can benefit you! Page 3 Twin Chimney Ranch: Under the Angel’s Watch Page 4 Annual Report

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Blue Ridge Land Conservancy Promoting the conservation of western Virginia’s natural resources- farms, forests, waterways, and rural landscapes

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Lowell F. Inhorn, MD, President Ann Bondurant Trinkle, President-Elect Ruth T. Dickerson, Treasurer Fiona M. Tower, Secretary A. Sidney Barritt III, MD Dominic M. Basile Maureen McNamara Best Helen A. Burnett Diana K. Christopulos, PhD Thomas M. Dunkenberger, Jr. William Hunley George A. Kegley Wendy W. Kendrick Susan E. McSwain J. Walton Milam III Robert C. Mountcastle Timothy J. Rowe, Sr. Isabel R. Thornton

ADVISORY COUNCIL M. Rupert Cutler, PhD Lucy R. Ellett Liza T. Field Talfourd H. Kemper Robert B. Lambeth Jr. Janet Scheid

STAFF David C. Perry, Executive Director Meagan R. Cupka, Assistant Director Tina L. Badger, Project Manager Kate K. Glass, Stewardship Assistant James C. “Chris” Holdren, Southern VA Program Manager Kyle Simpson, Central Virginia Program Manager 27 Church Ave. SW Roanoke, VA 24011 540-985-0000 blueridgelandconservancy.org

ABOUT THE COVER

FROM THE DIRECTOR As we wind down 2020, so many things are different—and not in good ways. But there is so much positive change to talk about as well. In November, the land conservancy’s board of trustees officially changed our by-laws to make the Southern Virginia Land Conservancy an official unit of the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy. We now have a parttime program manager, Chris Holdren, and a small advisory committee operating on our southern tier, from Patrick County in the west to Halifax County in the east.

This part of our state is full of opportunities for land conservation, as there has been no local, private land trust in this area. There’s been no one living and working in the community, meeting with landowners, elected officials, business leaders, civic clubs and the general public, promoting land conservation and protecting our natural resources.

That’s all changed now, and we’ve been busier in these four southern counties saving land in 2020 than anyone else in our 20-county service area.

The land conservancy now consists of three operating units: the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy in Roanoke (the granddaddy of them all), the Central Virginia Land Conservancy in Lynchburg (with which we merged in 2019), and now the Southern Virginia Land Conservancy, with an office in Martinsville. Each unit has its own advisory committee to handle day-to-day affairs in cooperation with staff, like hosting tables at special events and holding landowner workshops. Meanwhile, our “big board” will turn its focus solely to strategic thinking and legal and financial matters. We’ll probably come up with a new name for the parent organization, too. I understand Amazon and Google are taken, but we’ll think of something!

I’m glad to report that your land conservancy is weathering the pandemic and financial crisis better than most, thanks to your support, government help from the Small Business Administration, and continued strong interest in land conservation from the public.

But there’s still a lot of economic uncertainty on the horizon. Your support now is more important than ever. Thanks to the CARES Act passed by Congress earlier this year in response to the pandemic, you can enjoy greater tax savings from your charitable gifts in 2020, whether you itemize on your return or not. See our article on the next page about the CARES Act and how it can help you help save land.

As always, thank you. We are blessed to be able to save the places you love in our part of the state. In fact, that’s reflected in our new mission statement, adopted in our 2020-23 Strategic Plan in October: We save the lands and waters you love, forever.

Forever and ever…amen. Have a safe and healthy holiday season.

David Perry Executive Director Twin rainbows over Twin Chimney Ranch in Botetourt County. Photo by Larry Dew.

Dave Perry

Did you know that there are special tax incentives you can take advantage of this year if you donate before December 31, 2020?

Thanks to the

If you claim the standard deduction on your income taxes (you don’t itemize your deductions), you can now claim an additional $300 deduction on your 2020 tax return if you give that much or more to charity. That means if you’re like most Americans who don’t itemize, you can still give an additional $300 to charity and reduce your adjusted gross income (AGI) by even more.

CARES Act

If you itemize your deductions on your tax return, you can now deduct 100 percent of your AGI if you give that amount or more to charity. This was formerly capped at 60 percent of AGI. Any giving beyond this 100% limitation may be carried over and used in the next five years (at the previous 60 percent cap). This means that folks in a position to give generously can reduce their income taxes more than ever, while supporting the charities they love more as well.

you can!

Note that this higher 100 percent cap applies only to cash contributions made directly to charitable organizations such as the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy and not to contributions to donor advised funds, supporting organizations or private foundations.

SOME EXAMPLES: If you don’t itemize your deductions:

Mr. and Mrs. Jones together make $100,000 per year as teachers. They make numerous charitable gifts each year, but their generosity totals less than the standard deduction. So on their taxes, they claim the standard deduction of $24,800 for a married couple filing jointly. This year, however, Mr. and Mrs. Jones can claim another $300 deduction above and beyond their standard deduction by making an additional $300 charitable gift. This reduces their taxable income—the amount they pay Uncle Sam taxes on—by an additional $300.

If you itemize your deductions:

Ms. Smith, a small business owner, has $300,000 of AGI for 2020. She has in mind making a $500,000 charitable contribution this year for a special cause near to her heart. Most years, her income tax deduction would be limited to $180,000 (60 percent of her AGI). For this year only, the CARES Act allows a charitable contribution deduction of 100 percent of her AGI, or the full $300,000. And, Ms. Smith can carry forward the remainder of her deduction ($200,000), deducting 60 percent of her AGI each year for up to five years or until her deduction is used up.

But remember, you have to act by December 31 to take advantage of these special incentives!

Twin Chimney Ranch U N D E R T H E A N G E L’ S WATC H The view is astounding and it was very apparent that Larry and Terry Dew love the land and are dedicated stewards. That sense of passion and dedication is hard to get via email.

Terry Dew was born to a railroad and coal mining family in Cabin Creek West Virginia. Terry’s father had a Railroad career during which the family saw many stops in W.Va to Clifton Forge. He later retired as manager of the Coal and Ore pier in Newport News. Many Larry and Terry Dew at their home in Botetourt County people in Clifton Forge Photo Courtesy of Larry Dew remember her father from his time as superintendent hen it comes time to write there.

Terry and her twin sister Sherry the landowner feature attended school and graduated from for Land Savers one of Clifton Forge High School. Terry us usually heads out to meet with and decided to stay in the area when interview the chosen landowner. With her family moved on and eventually Covid numbers on the rise, we have graduated from Dabney Lancaster had to adapt a bit and use email to Community College. gather many of the answers to interview

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questions. But I was able to get in a brief outdoor visit at the property to meet with landowners Larry and Terry Dew. Larry and Terry forever protected their farm with a conservation agreement with the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy earlier this year. As soon as I arrived at their home I was glad that we were able to meet in person and the Dews were generous enough to endure a cold cloudy day to help me get a better picture of their treasured Twin Chimney Ranch.

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Winter 2020–2021

Larry was born in Clifton Forge and has remained in Alleghany and Botetourt County his entire life. Larry, like Terry, graduated from Dabney Lancaster Community College. While at Dabney Lancaster Larry took a weekend job working for the U.S. Forest Service. That weekend job eventually turned into a 33year career as a Wildland Fire Fighter and Timber Sale Administrator on National Forest land. In addition, Larry and his

By Tina Badger

father ran a cow-calf farming operation for 20 plus years. After retirement from the Forest Service Larry has worked as a Realtor specializing in rural recreation property, forested land and farms.

Twin Chimney Ranch, as it is called now, was originally recorded in the Botetourt County Plat Book as Lick Run Dairy.

The Jacob Lemon family ran the dairy operation until the early 1920’s when they sold it. Several more farmers owned the 224-acre farm after the Lemon family, including two farm families that lost the property to the bank during the Great Depression. Otha Dudley bought the farm after the Depression and ran a “Truck Farm” selling produce and meat out of a pick-up truck in Downtown Clifton Forge. Dudley sold the farm to the Hayden Family of Covington around 1950. Mr. Hayden was an industrialist with the Rayon Corporation and passed 9/11 Angel that overlooks the property .

Photo courtesy of Larry Dew

Looking out over the horse barn and hay fields

destroyed the house in 1958, hence the name Twin Chimney’s ranch.

away a few years after buying the farm.

His widow did not allow any agricultural activity on the property and let nature take its course on the cultivated fields and pastures. The Dew family bought the farm in 1999 as a “fixer-up” farm project selling pulpwood off the crop fields and eventually clearing all the open fields that you see in existence today. The Dews restored the early 1900’s barn that was once the milking parlor for the Lemon Dairy. They eventually moved and rebuilt the old butcher cabin that stood next to the original manor house. The cabin was renovated and turned into an office for caption Terry’s equine business, which was opened in 2001. Terry, with the assistance of her daughters, ran the busines working with handicapped children through 2008. She still loves horses and houses two on the farm for the family to ride. They currently produce hay crops on the property and in 2015 it became their permanent residence after they moved from the Fork Farm in Allegheny County and built a new home.

Chatting with the Dews brought about so many interesting features of the property.

As you stand on their deck and look out over the property to the Northeast, you notice something bright sitting on a small knoll above the hay fields. I was invited to look through a telescope to see what it was.

Lo and behold, there stands a 9 foot 11 inch tall metal sculpture in the shape of an angel. The height is of special significance.

The angel was sculpted by artist Lei Hennessey-Owen as a tribute to 9/11 and is made from steel that was salvaged from the World Trade Center. It ended up at Twin Creek Ranch when Miracle Valley Winery, where the Dews’ daughter worked, closed and the winery needed a suitable place to for the sculpture to reside. It is certainly a lovely spot for it. Along with a human-made sculpture, the property also boasts views of some unique geological features, including a rocky cliff that juts out on the bank of the James River near to the confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture Rivers where the two used to converge to become the James. In the fields below where the angel overlooks there is a spring fed pond that is stocked with fish for fishing, a pastime that the Dew family enjoys. The spring was a source of water for the original manor house, of which the twin chimneys are the only vestiges left after a fire

The family history, with a long line of farmers, saw-millers and sportsmen, plays a huge part in the decision to conserve the property with a conservation easement. Since the property lends itself to development, with gentle terrain with good public road access, thus it was clear that a conservation easement was the one assurance to keep the land undeveloped.

The current use of the land (agricultural practices, forestry and recreation) are definitely in keeping with the restrictions of the easement. The Dews intend to pass the Ranch to their children to be used and enjoyed as it is now. In speaking with them and learning about their family, it is abundantly clear that they hope this property brings enjoyment for their children, grandchildren, and generations to come. With an easement in place they will have a place to enjoy “as is” without the pressures to sell for development. What a wonderful legacy.

The twin chimneys from the original manor house.

Photo courtesy of Larry Dew

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Annual Report Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Financial Summary

Income

Contributions $135,449 Conservation Celebration & Auction $42,242 Stewardship Fund Contributions $117,000 Miscellaneous $5,314 Stewardship Income from Tax Credit $65,983 Land Donation $148,500 Investment Earnings $117,816 Unrestricted Grants $5,000 Pandemic Grants $38,834 Restricted Grants $19,657

Total Income: $695,796

Income

Pandemic grants, $38,834 , 6%

Restricted grants, $19,657 , 3%

Unrestricted grants, $5,000 , 1%

Contributions, $135,449 , 19%

Investment earnings, $117,816 , 17% Conservation Celebration & Auction, $42,242 , 6%

Land donation, $148,500 , 21% Stewardship Fund Contributions, $117,000 , 17%

Miscellaneous, $5,314 , 1% Stewardship Income from tax credit, $65,983 , 9%

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Annual Report Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Financial Summary

Expenses

Management $40,020 Land Conservation $114,344 Development $34,303 Community Outreach $28,586 Landowner Outreach $68,606 Conservation Celebration $21,435 Miscellaneous $2,769 Investment Fees $2,950 Grant Expenses $5,341

Total Expenses: $318,353.34 To Stewardship Fund: To Sustainability Fund:

$71,000.00 $306,442.34

Net $0 Expenses

Development, $34,303 , 11%

Community Outreach, $28,586 , 9%

Landowner Outreach, $68,606 , 21%

Conservation Celebration, $21,435 , 7%

Land Conservation, $114,344 , 36%

Miscellaneous, $2,769 , 1% Investment Fees, $2,950 , 1% Management, $40,020 , 12%

Grant Expenses, $5,341 , 2%

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Annual Report Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Giving List

The following individuals, families, companies, and foundations donated to the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy between the dates of July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. As always, our deepest thanks go to all of these supporters who make saving land possible.

DONORS BETWEEN JULY 1, 2019 AND JUNE 30, 2020 Blue Ridge Mountains

($10,000 and up)

Beirne Carter Foundation In honor of Talfourd H. Kemper William M. Claytor Family Memorial Fund of Foundation for Roanoke Valley Jesse and Becki Seamon

McAfee’s Knob

($5,000 - $9,999)

Beirne Rossie and Randy Hutcheson In honor of Talfourd H. Kemper Bobby Mountcastle

Sharp Top

($2,500 - $4,999)

Diana Christopulos Carole Denney Betty and Edmund Lesko Wistar Morris Land Matters, LLC Conservation Celebration Sponsor Mohawk Group Conservation Celebration Sponsor

Carvins Cove

($1,000 - $2,499) A. Sidney Barritt Burnardine Basile 8 | Winter 2019–2020

Vehicle Donation Helen Burnett Conservation Partners, LLC Conservation Celebration Sponsor Thomas M. and Whittney B. Dunkenberger Bill and Diane Elliot Fund of Foundation for Roanoke Valley Gloria Goddard Vehicle Donation John Gregory Conrad Grundlehner In memory of Charles and Marietta Guidon In memory of Ernest and Elise

Grundlehner William and Ann Hackworth David Higginbotham Bill and Deborah Hunley Lowell Inhorn & Cynthia Petzold George Kegley Conservation Celebration Sponsor Mary Kegley In honor of George Kegley Wendy Kendrick Gene Kistler Anna Lawson In Memory of Barbara Lemon William Lemon Kirk Ludwig McLaughlin and Moran Inc. Conservation Celebration Sponsor Myers and Woods Appraisal Group Conservation Celebration Sponsor James Overholser In Honor of Dr. Bill Gorge Printex In Kind

Carol Pruner Rockydale Quarries Corporation Conservation Celebration Sponsor Isabel and Lucas Thornton Vistar Eye Center In Kind

Buffalo Mountain ($500 - $999)

Paul Angermeier & Mrs. Elizabeth Stinson Blue Ridge Beverage Conservation Celebration Sponsor Building Specialists Conservation Celebration Sponsor Murray K. Coulter Ruth Dickerson John and Hoye Duckworth The Dunkenberger-Waskey Group at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Conservation Celebration Sponsor Linda Durham Broaddus and Luann Fitzpatrick Fork in the Alley Conservation Celebration Sponsor Marianne Gandee In Memory of Wayne Gandee Renee Godard Douglas Hyre Anne and James Jennings Jones & Deshon Orthodontics In honor of David Perry Talfourd Kemper Robert Lambeth James Lee Ann Martyn

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Giving List

Heather Neff Paul Ross Barbara Sarver Janet Scheid and Bud LaRoche Jean Smith Jefferson Internal Medicine Associates Conservation Celebration Sponsor Ominsource Conservation Celebration Sponsor Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op Conservation Celebration Sponsor Roanoke Valley Orthodontics Conservation Celebration Sponsor Anthony Stavola David Timberline Vehicle Donation Betty Ware Henry Woodward

John’s Creek Mountain ($250 - $499)

David Hunt and Ellen Aiken Ananda Farm LLC Scott Berglund Daniel and Allison Bubar James Crowgey In memory of Phyllis R. Crowgey Mark Feldmann G. Franklin Flippin W. Heywood Fralin Ray Garland Robert Garland Albin Hammond Howard and Melissa Hays-Smith Mary Ann Johnson Ray Karnes Katherine Keel In honor of Broaddus Fitzpatrick Robert Kegley Edward Kohinke Frank Lacy Harry Norris Scott Peyton Robert Pitner

Edwin Robertson Walton Rutherfoord John and Linda Thornton Ryland Winston Barry Wirt

Cahas Mountain ($100 - $249)

Steven Akers Tom Angleberger Jason Ballard Alexander Barge Stan and Kathy Barnhill Rick Barrow Dominic Basile Margaret S. Beazley Elizabeth Belcher Laura Benjamin Michael and Susan Bentley Myron Bircher Brian Boggs In honor of Andrea Boggs Christopher and Betsy Bohannon W. Chan Bolling John Bradshaw Betty Branch M. Virginia Brobeck Blanche Brower In memory of Mervin Brower Sharon Burnham Jim and Emily Casey Steve and Debbie Cates Robert Clark Michael Clark The Clifton Family Fund at FRV In honor of Dr. David Jones Sr. Dr. M. Rupert Cutler DALMP LLC Lynn Davis Katharine Dean In memory of Robert Dean III F. Joseph Duckwall In honor of Frank and Lucy Ellett Charlotte Dietz Paul Economy Mary Epling

Mark and Beth Finkler J. Robert and Joanna Finton Richard Normand and Elaine Fleck D. Ford Ellen Glover David Goode J. Bruce Hagadorn A.B. Hammond F. Hester Michael Hicks F. Staley Hester Jr. Roger Holnback William Hooper James E. and Carol C. Howell W. Arnold Hurt McMillan Johnson Richard Kelly Claire Kennett Reif and Susan Kessler Kathleen Koomen Nelson Lafon W. Tucker Lemon Van Lewis Richard Lynn Robert Martin George McLean William Modica Dale O’Dell J. Lee Osborne Crystal Pait Bob and Kristin Peckman John Pendleton Linda Pharis Michael Quinn Wayne and Pam Reilly Roanoke Valley Bird Club Roanoke Valley Garden Club Hilda Roberts John Robinson Robert Rohrback Timothy Rowe Charles Ryan David Savitz Cynthia Shelor In honor of Helen Burnett Paul Simms In memory of L. Earl Simms Winter 2020–2021 | 9

Annual Report Fiscal YearFiscal 2019-2020 Annual Report Year 2018-2019 Giving List

Lewis Singer Edward Smith William Stone Tim Thornton Paul Timmermann Greg Turner Vicki Tuke D. Kyle Umberger Loren Walker Jackson Webster Dale and Sally Wickstrum Jean and Dick Wertz John Whittle Don Witt John Wood In honor of Adam and Hillary Wood Edward Yost Cecile Zalopany

Brush Mountain ($50 - $99)

Karen Adams Yolanda Adams Leonard Adkins Arthur Ballas Vincent Basile In honor of Dominic Basile Harry and Roblyn Brand John Briggs In honor of David Perry Guy Buford Garland Calhoun III Nancy Carson Kent Davis David Dougherty Luke Dubois Jeanne Duddy R. Thomas Edwards Robert Egbert Gloria Elliott Nancy Felch Lorraine Fleck Elizabeth Gilbert Sanford Gurian

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Giving List

William Hackworth In memory of Singleton Osterhoudt James Hare In Memory of Jim, Helen, and “JH” Linda Harrison James Harshfield Judith Hensley Kirsten and Rhett Herman Betty Hillis Paul Hinlicky Brian K. and Martha Hooker Bruce and Elaine Ingram Edward Jennings Pegram Johnson Richard Jones Scott Kelly Joseph Lemmer Robert LeNoir Sandy Light In honor of Frank and Lucy Ellett Rick and Lisa Lovegrove Rob Lyon Carol and Herve Marand Dan Crawford and Mary Bishop Bridget Meagher Ric and Nancy Moss David Naff and Sally Naff Reinhard O’Neill Charles Osterhoudt In honor of Sandy Light Nancy Revercomb Jeff and Ann Shawver John Shoulders In honor of Broaddus Fitzpatrick Cora Simpkins Lewis and Terry Smith Sierra Steffen Wayne Strickland In honor of Mac Houck Sugar Loaf Garden Club Paula Thompson Paul Thomson Deborah Ullmer Tamara Vance Linda VanLuik Betty Weddle

Virginia West Lynn Delean-Weber In honor of Ray Garland, Robert Garland, and Frances Garland Karen Willis

Mill Mountain ($25 - $49)

June Blanks Nancy Bourne Jerry Cheadle In honor of Matilda Bradshaw Ann Davis Maxine Fraade Virginia and Tupper Garden James Gray Robert and Linda Guiles Jane Haddad John Heil Jane Inancsi Geneva Jenkins Victoria Keenum Wayne Leftwich Collyer Linn Janice Litschert Robert Lockhart James Lucas Robert Minor Robert Mooty R. E. Mullen Vivian Norkus Sarah Orrick Bruce Sellars Gloria Simmons In memory of David L. Simmons Ann Stobbelaar H. Tornatore Timothy Vollink Harry Woolridge Jennifer White Robert Wilson Mary Zody

We want to extend a huge thank you to those who hung in there and participated in our first virtual Conservation Celebration and Auction. We knew in late spring that we would have to “pivot and adjust” – our motto for

2020 – and forego the in person event for a virtual one.

Thank goodness for all those other charities that paved the way and help us learn what works and what does

not work. It is no easy feat to pull off a successful virtual fundraiser when everyone else is doing the same and

everyone feels saturated by virtual events. But we did it! With John Carlin as our host, Russell Seneff as our

auctioneer, and music by Possum we managed to put together and evening of entertainment and fun while

honoring the Late Governor Gerald Baliles and his wife Robin with the Vic Thomas Environmental Stewardship

award. In the end, we brought in over $30,000 with the help of the auction items and our wonderful sponsors!

We sure did miss gathering and breaking bread with all our friends though. Let us hope that next year we can

get back to our normal routine and actually see all your 14

lovely faces in person!

Winter 2019–2020

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Member of: 27 Church Avenue SW Roanoke, Virginia 24011 Phone/Fax 540-985-0000 blueridgelandconservancy.org

The Blue Ridge Land Conservancy is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, a mark of distinction in land conservation. BRLC is also a proud member of the Land Trust Alliance and the Virginia Conservation Network.

TURNING CARS INTO LAND Have a vehicle you no longer need, but don’t want to go through the hassle of selling?

Consider donating your well-loved vehicle to the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy! We’ll re-sell it for you, and you can count it as a tax-deductible gift. It’s a win-win for all involved.

BRLC is partnering with CARS to handle automobile donations.

Go to https://careasy.org/nonprofit/blue-ridge-land-conservancy to donate your vehicle!