Tribes awarded state grants for the first time to conserve Va. forestland

In a mission to gain back lands lost since Capt. John Smith’s first expeditions throughout the Chesapeake Bay in 1608, state and federally recognized Indigenous tribes are tapping into state funds.

Last week, two tribes were awarded grants directly from the Virginia Land Conservation Fund (VLCF) to acquire and preserve forestlands for the first time. The grants will only cover a portion of the cost of the land acquisitions and will be available to the tribes for two years.

During this time, the rest of the funding must be raised for a successful property transaction to take place. A one-year extension can be given if progress on the acquisition is being made, said Suzan Bulbulkaya, a land conservation manager at the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.

The historic moment resulted from legislation passed earlier this year allowing Virginia’s state and federally recognized tribes to receive grants from VLCF, one of the state’s premier sources of conservation money, funded through the budget. In the past, tribes were required to work with another public body, such as a nonprofit or government program, to receive those funds.