u/Happy4U_

Hi, my name’s Heather. I’m looking to raise the funds needed to preserve our historic forest property and prevent it from being destroyed and sold off to investors where they will bulldoze it to build on it.

We’re looking to buy out the investors and preserve the land, with the goal of donating the full 2 acres of forestry to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources for long-term conservation and protection.

Our property is one of the last remaining pieces of original forestry in this incredibly overdeveloped area - a living landscape that has stood for generations (the house was built in 1925!). It is home to an incredible range of wildlife, including pileated woodpeckers, red foxes, eastern coyotes, gray bats, white-tailed deer, and many other native species that depend on this land for shelter, food, and protection. For most of them, this forest is not just habitat - it is one of the only places in this area that they have left.

Unfortunately, investors are seeking to tear down 2/3s of the property, removing all the trees and shrubs, dividing the land by building houses on it, and selling it off in pieces. If this happens, the natural ecosystem that has thrived here will be permanently disrupted. Removing the forest would displace the wildlife that calls it home and force them into surrounding neighborhoods in search of food and shelter. This can create completely avoidable conflicts with domestic pets and increase risks for both animals and the community.

I am committed to protecting this land. The goal is to buy out the investors and preserve the property as it is - maintaining the forestry, safeguarding the wildlife, and ensuring this natural space remains intact for future generations. By keeping the land undisturbed, we can continue to support biodiversity, protect native species, and maintain the environmental balance that benefits the entire community.

This is more than a piece of property. It is a habitat, a refuge, and a rare remnant of original forest in our area. With your support, we can prevent its destruction and ensure that this land continues to thrive as a sanctuary for wildlife and a natural asset to our community.

Thank you for helping us protect something irreplaceable.

Hey there - I’m looking for information on whether or not there are ways to prevent an investment firm from obtaining permission from the local government to tear down 2 acres of forest and build a subdivision. They own the property, I’m a tenant on the house that currently exists on the 3 acre total property. This is one of the only few forested areas in the area and many species call this place home. I refuse to lie down and let them obtain permits without a fight! They are currently in process of getting an archeological survey done - for what? I don’t know, the surveyor I spoke to said he couldn’t say as he was restricted by an NDA.

I do have a gofundme up to try and buy out the investors but I am not hopeful there. Any insight would be awesome!

Additional info:
-The original house was built in 1925 and still stands today.
-Renovations were done on the property without any permitting from 2018-2021.
-2 acres are fully forested, though there is a power line through a portion of that 2 acres.
-Animal species I’ve seen on the property include: white tailed deer, eastern coyote, eastern box turtle, pileated woodpecker, barn owl, striped skunk, common raccoon, eastern gray squirrel, melanistic gray squirrel, and many others!