King William Property Added to Land Conservancy Holdings

By Amber Lester Kennedy Tuesday, November 15, 2011

The Williamsburg Land Conservancy will now protect this land in King William County.

Bill and Suzanne Thomas have placed a conservation easement on their 80-acre property, known as “The Retreat,” in northwestern King William County. The Conservancy will hold the easement and steward the land in perpetuity.

The property is forested and agricultural, most recently used to plant and harvest soy beans. The primary residence dates to 1808, and the property also contains an old cemetery. Malden Creek, a tributary to Boot Swamp, divides the property at its northwestern border.

“The Conservancy is very happy to expand our land protection holdings into King William County,” said Caren Schumacher, the Conservancy’s executive director. “Each parcel of land we protect and keep from becoming an impervious surface is a positive step for the health of the Chesapeake Bay.”

The Conservancy holds more than 3,300 acres of land in protection in James City County, Williamsburg, York County, New Kent County, Suffolk and King William County.