The importance of conservation easements to the preservation of the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area cannot be overstated. Without them, our green space, historic sites, and unrivaled vistas would be overrun and boxed in by suburban development. The fifth episode of Piedmont Crossroads – The Path to Preservation tells us why the area is worth saving, the significance of the easement solution, and how to go about getting one. It also shows the benefit to the easement holder. This episode of Piedmont Crossroads is somewhat different from other podcasts in in our series because it was primarily recorded at a live event in March 2023. The intimacy of the live event is enhanced by a recorded Q and A with Ashton Cole, Executive Director of the Land Trust of Virginia. So, if you are interested in learning all about easements – what they are, how the work and what good they do – sit back and listen to Episode 5.