Land Trust, Gov. Kaine Recognize Carvins Cove Easement

David Perry presents an original oil painting, “Look Off,” by Nan Mahone Wellborn to Gov. Tim Kaine.
David Perry presents an original oil painting, “Look Off,” by Nan Mahone Wellborn to Gov. Tim Kaine.

The Western Virginia Land Trust honored Governor Tim Kaine with its annual A. Victor Thomas Environmental Stewardship Award at the Conservation Celebration Sunday at Hollins University.

A crowd of about 225 land trust supporters, corporate sponsors and elected officials gathered on a warm fall day to celebrate the land trust’s successes over the past year, which included the City of Roanoke’s donation of a second conservation easement in Carvins Cove Natural Reserve last week.

The second Cove easement brings the total area under easement in the vast city park to 11,363 acres, making it the largest conserved tract of land in Virginia and the second largest municipal city park in the country. It marks a significant step toward meeting Governor Kaine’s goal of setting aside an additional 400,000 acres of land by 2010.

Kaine lauded the efforts of the city, the land trust and state agencies to protect land in southwest Virginia from inappropriate development. He said open space preservation is a centerpiece of his administration because of the pace of development in Virginia.

“Twenty-five percent of all the development in Virginia since Jamestown has taken place in the last twenty-five years,” noted Kaine.

To commemorate the occasion, the land trust presented Kaine and First Lady Anne Holton, a native Roanoker, with an original oil painting by Nan Mahone Wellborn. Titled “Look Off,” it features a view of the Bent Mountain home place of the same name that was special to Holton while growing up in Roanoke.

“I can’t imagine receiving anything that would be more meaningful to me and Anne,” said Kaine. “We have many fond memories of Look Off. We’ll cherish this.”

Named after the late Vic Thomas, a long-time Roanoke delegate in the General Assembly, the Vic Thomas Award is given annually by the Western Virginia Land Trust to an individual or organization that exemplifies outstanding leadership in conservation. Past recipients include the City of Roanoke, Lanier and Thecla Frantz of New Castle, and former state senator Madison Marye and his wife Charlotte of Elliston.

By Dave Perry
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