Department of Conservation and Recreation
Conserve. Protect. Enjoy.
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Virginia’s working farms and forests, battlefields and other historic sites, natural areas, parks and rivers are critical to its economy, culture and quality of life. In 1999, the assembly and governor established the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation (VLCF) to fund protection of these resources. The interactive map below depicts VLCF-grant projects funded since 2000.
| Name: | McThenia |
|---|---|
| Category: | Open Spaces and Parks |
| Grant Round: | FY20 |
| Acres: | 39.07 |
| Locality: | City of Lexington |
| Management Agency: | Virginia Outdoors Foundation |
| Owner: | Private |
| ConserveVirginia: | Natural Habitat & Ecosystem Diversity |
| Amount Awarded: | $180,000.00 |
| Applicant: | Virginia Outdoors Foundation |
| Latitude: | 37.789889 |
| Longitude: | -79.420829 |
| Description: | The Virginia Outdoors Foundation received a $180,000 VLCF grant that helped to purchase an easement on 39 acres to allow public access along a trail to the Maury River. The property fronts the Maury for over 5,700 feet and has a natural beach-like area at the foot of the trail. It is across the river from the Chessie Trail, which is heavily used by the community and links Lexington to the Buena Vista area. The bluffs are also visible from State Route 631, which is part of U.S. Bike Route 76. The river at this location is a designated blueway and provides habitat for several endangered mollusk species. The entire property lies within the Lexington Barrens and Bluffs conservation site because of the limestone cliffs, sinkholes and barrens, and it also contains areas where a rare plant, the ThreeFlower melic grass (Melica nitens), has been found. The property contains several sinkholes that serve to capture most of the surface-water runoff in the upland portion of the property. |
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