Virginia Department
of Forestry

All DOF easements will be visited every other year. If your easement was recorded in an even year, it will be visited every even year. If your easement was recorded in an odd year, it will be visited every odd year. In the years an easement is not scheduled to be visited, landowners will be mailed a landowner questionnaire. These questionnaires ask about any changes that have taken place on the property over the past year and any prospective changes over the coming year. The questionnaires must be completed, signed and returned by June 1.

If you own an easement property and are planning any of the changes listed below, please reach out to DOF for approval prior to beginning these activities.

• Forest management, including a harvest
• Conversion of land from forest to another use
• Change in property ownership
• Subdividing property
• Constructing new buildings, structures, roads, stream crossings or utilities
• Renovating or enlarging existing buildings or structures
• Entering into other easements or recorded documents such as a utility easement or ingress/egress right-of-way.
• Participating in ecosystem services (wetland or streambank mitigation or restoration programs)

Amendments to open-spaced easements can be completed to add additional protections to an easement property. Amendments cannot decrease the level of protection to a property, but can be utilized to improve outdated terms and add acreage to an easement. If you’re interested in an amendment, email us for more information.