                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

DEDICATION OF NATURAL AREA PRESERVES (§ 10.1-213)

A. The Director may, in the name of the Department, accept the dedication of
natural areas on lands deemed by the Director to qualify as natural area
preserves under the provisions of this article. Natural area preserves may be
dedicated by voluntary act of the owner. The owner of a qualified natural area
may transfer fee simple title or other interest in land to the Commonwealth.
Natural area preserves may be acquired by gift, grant, or purchase.

B. Dedication of a natural preserve shall become effective only upon acceptance
of the instrument of dedication by the Director.

C. The instrument of dedication may:

   1. Contain restrictions and other provisions relating to management, use,
   development, transfer, and public access, and may contain any other
   restrictions and provisions as may be necessary or advisable to further the
   purposes of this article;

   2. Define, consistently with the purposes of this article, the respective
   rights and duties of the owner and of the Commonwealth and provide procedures
   to be followed in case of violations of the restrictions;

   3. Recognize and create reversionary rights, transfers upon conditions or with
   limitations, and gifts over; and

   4. Vary in provisions from one natural area preserve to another in accordance
   with differences in the characteristics and conditions of the several areas.

D. Public departments, commissions, boards, counties, municipalities,
corporations, and institutions of higher education and all other agencies and
instrumentalities of the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions are
empowered to dedicate suitable areas within their jurisdiction as natural area
preserves.

E. Subject to the approval of the Governor, the Commonwealth may enter into
amendments to the instrument of dedication upon finding that the amendment will
not permit an impairment, disturbance, use, or development of the area
inconsistent with the provisions of this article. If the fee simple estate in
the natural area preserve is not held by the Department under this article, no
amendment may be made without the written consent of the owner of the other
interests therein.

HISTORY: 1989, c. 553.