Chestnut Ridge Natural Area Preserve

The Chestnut Ridge Natural Area Preserve, owned by Bob and Darlinda Gilvary of Bluefield, WVA, is a 233 acre old-growth forest located on Chestnut Ridge in Giles County, Virginia. Bob Gilvary discovered the old-growth forest within their 2250 acre tree farm.

In the fall of 2004 a visit by Philip Coulling, vegetation ecologist, with the Natural Heritage Division of the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) determined the importance of the site.  The forest “supports two significant communities (northern red oak and chestnut oak) noteworthy for their old-growth status.  In addition these communities occur in a large matrix of nearly unbroken forest, the extent of which is quite unusual in southwest Virginia.”  Another visit in spring of 2005 by a team of VNHP scientists confirmed the existence trees that were from 300 to 400 years old. Other canopy species in the forest with aged individuals include cucumber magnolia and American basswood.

In June 2005 The 500-Year Forest Foundation was awarded $224,130 from the Virginia Land Conservation Fund to purchase 50% of the development rights ($200,000) of the forest to be offset by at least a 50% donation by the Gilvarys.  $24,130 was budgeted to pay for appraisals, survey and legal expenses. The actual costs of these services was less than $11,000.

The DCR , the Gilvarys, and The 500-Year Forest Foundation will develop a Natural Areas conservation plan for the forest. 

For more information, go to the Virginia Natural Area Preserve web site.

Chestnut Ridge Forest - May 2008

Bob Gilvary reported that plans have been delayed to put the remaining 2,236 acres of the Gilginia Tree Farm under a conservation easement until it is determined whether it is possible to do this and still have a wind farm on the property. 

Bob reports further that he has signed up for a carbon sequestration program on the entire 2,550 acres.  At present forest growth rates about 94,000 tons of CO2 could be sequestered per year. The present plan is not to cut any timber on the property for at least ten years to let the large oaks mature more and thus sequester more carbon.  In the meantime timber stand improvement will continue to increase growth rates.

According to Chris Ludwig, Chief Biologist, Virginia Natural Heritage Division, the state will do a one day inventory this fall looking for a rare forest types located outside but nearby the existing 233 acre preserve.

Chestnut Ridge Forest - October 2007

For Bob and Darlinda Gilvary extreme drought and the threat of gypsy moth invasion made for a harrowing time this summer.  Relief from the drought finally occurred in late October with five plus inches of rain that fell over three days. The gypsy moth was a problem in eastern Giles County and there was a concern that it would travel into western Giles County where this forest is located.  Since this forest is one of the Virginia’s 50 Natural Area Preserves, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation arranges for any control efforts.  Bryan Wender, Mountain Region Natural Area Steward, inspected this old-growth forest found no evidence of gypsy moth. 

Chestnut Ridge Forest - April 2007

Boundary signs including the identification of both the Department of Conservation and Recreation and The 500-Year Forest Foundation have been installed every 300 feet around this old-growth tract with blaze markings every 100 feet.  The state hired Thompson & Litton, surveyors to do this work.  Recently Al Cire, Western Operations Steward with the Department of Conservation and Recreation, inspected the completed work and said the job was well done.

A towering Northern Red Oak

Chestnut Ridge Forest - Years: Late 2005-2006

In December 2005 Britt Boucher of Foresters, Inc., Blacksburg, appraised the stumpage value of the 233+ acres of forest at $440,000.  (Stumpage value is the value of lumber that can be sawed out, minus the costs of harvest, transport, and conversion to lumber including a margin of profit.)   There is virgin timber (never been cut) on about two thirds of the land. 

In March 2006 Mathews and Henegar, Inc. of Dublin, Virginia completed a survey of the property.

The appraisal of the forest land both before and after development and timber rights is called the easement value.   Randi Lemmon of Lucas Real Estate Appraisers, Inc. of Blacksburg performed this easement valuation, arriving at a figure of $538,000. The coverage for the required 50% match to the grant was more than adequate.

The Commonwealth of Virginia in the Department of Conservation and Recreation prepared the Deed of Natural Area Preservation Dedication.  When all grant requirements were met, the deed was signed and disbursement was accomplished August 29, 2006.  

Bob and Darlinda Gilvary receive their portion of the grant funds of $200,000 from Richard Chidester at the law offices of Hartley and Chidester in Pearisburg, Virginia