The Cacapon and Lost Rivers Land Trust is an organization of and for people who love the rural nature of West Virginia — and want to take steps to preserve that character and quality of life for generations to come. Since 1995, we have worked with dozens of landowners and protected more than 9,600 acres of land.
On this page, you can read the stories of just a handful of our supporters — who they are, their love of their land, and how we worked together to protect those properties forever.
If you have property in the valleys of the Cacapon and Lost Rivers, we’d like to talk to you about whether a voluntary land protection agreement is right for you. Please call the Trust’s executive director, Nancy Ailes, at (304) 856-1010, or write her at nailes@frontiernet.net for a no-obligation appointment.
Bob Poole
“It gives me peace and contentment to know I’ve left this for generations to come as well as for all the other creatures, thousands and thousands of creatures that live just on this piece of property. They were here too, before us. And let’s now leave it for them and leave it for other people to enjoy. That’s what I’ve done — I’ve protected the land for the benefit of nature.”
Meet Bob >>
Ralph Spaid
“A lot of people might think I’m slightly touched, you know for not taking the money and running. But what would I do with five million dollars?
Meet Ralph >>
Carlton Mills
Lost his boyhood home to development, and took steps to prevent the same thing from happening to his beloved Fallen Springs Hunt Club.
Meet Carlton >>
John Gavitt
“This thing called ‘sense of place’, I suppose that’s what it’s all about for me and for others who believe so strongly in a particular chunk of this earth. It becomes so much a part of us that we will do everything possible to ensure that it will not be harmed when we’re not around to care for it.”
Meet John >>
Gene Fisher
Stand on the ground, wade in its waters, listen to its sounds, smell its air, watch the kingfisher, the tiny wren, the chipmunk, watch the passing of the seasons and listen… listen to the land talk to you in its own language. Our feeble words can never express the message of this land and its spirit. When you spend time with this land and its heritage, it will heal, focus, and develop a relationship with you.
Meet Gene >>
Warren, Linda, and Todd Buzzerd
Journalism and land conservation have linked four generations of Buzzerd families to life in Morgan County.
Meet the Buzzerds >>
George and Elaine Vogt
They established a conservation easement “in order to preserve the natural characteristics of the land to the greatest extent possible, with the expectation that its beauty and tranquility will continue to bring enjoyment to future owners. “
Meet the Vogts>>
Across the River and Little Mountain Hunt Clubs
For these folks, preserving nature, favorite hunting spots, and friendship created the impetus for protecting hundreds of acres of both forest and riverbottom land.
Meet the hunters >>