Photos Courtesy of LTV
Shield’s Point Property Protected in Conservation Easement
The Shield’s Point property, generously donated by landowner Hunter Vermillion, is 827.9 acres in James City County, Virginia. This was the largest easement Land Trust of Virginia (LTV) recorded in 2021 and the second largest easement in their books.
Shield’s Point has 1.94 miles of frontage on the Chickahominy River, a State-designated Scenic River. Atlantic Sturgeon, listed as being endangered at the State and Federal Levels, are known by confirmed observation within the Chickahominy River. Other water resources include 2.51 miles of frontage on Blackstump Creek (a perennial stream), 156 acres of wetlands, and 505 acres of County-designated floodplain. Shield’s Point is in the watersheds of Blackstump Creek, the Chickahominy River, the James River, and the Chesapeake Bay.
The property contains a 731-acre “ecological core” area with Category 5 (“Outstanding”) ecological integrity, designated as such in the 2007 Virginia Natural Landscape Assessment of the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Virginia Natural Heritage Program.
Shield’s Point is the 210th easement completed by LTV. The Land Trust has worked with 219 families, conserving a total of 25,109 acres in 24 counties in Virginia.
Land Conservation Partners
Land Trust of Virginia (LTV)
Hunter Vermillion (landowner)
Land Conservation Funders
LTV and Hunter Vermillion – Conservation Easement