Supreme Court of Virginia Applies Strict Interpretation to Conservation Easements in White Cloud

In a monumental ruling that is sure to send shock waves through the land conservation community, the Supreme Court of Virginia has concluded that ambiguous wording in conservation easements must be interpreted in favor of the free use of land and against limiting development on the easement property. The case in question is Wetlands America Trust, Inc. v. White Cloud Nine Ventures, L.P., 2016 Va. LEXIS 12, which you can read here. Let’s go through this important case step by step. Continue reading Supreme Court of Virginia Applies Strict Interpretation to Conservation Easements in White Cloud