We are so proud to share the good news that we’ve concluded our 59th land protection agreement, safeguarding another 136.53 acres of land in this unique and important Cacapon watershed. Our landowner partners Hope and Bev Yankey are overjoyed, as you can see below. “Land does not belong to us; we belong to the land,” said Hope Yankey. “Our legacy is to provide our family and future generations the opportunity to love and share Wilding Woolly Farm as a sanctuary for all life.”
Protection of this property has been more than forty years in the making. Hope purchased the first 27.09-acre tract in 1981 after years of visiting and working throughout West Virginia. Over the decades, the Yankeys gradually acquired adjoining parcels, restored habitat, established conservation plantings, and built a farm rooted in stewardship and respect for the land.
Wilding Woolly Farm lies across a narrow valley from more than 55,000 acres of the George Washington National Forest and contributes to the scenic and ecological integrity of one of West Virginia’s most treasured landscapes. Visible from State Route 259 and the national forest, the farm provides substantial public conservation benefits and scenic views while preserving the rural character of the Cacapon Valley.
In 2025, the Yankeys were recognized as our Cacapon Conservation Champions for their lifelong commitment to conservation, sustainable agriculture, and watershed protection. This conservation easement represents the culmination of those efforts and ensures that future generations will continue to benefit from the farm’s natural resources and ecological values.
Located in the heart of the Cacapon Valley and at the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the property represents a significant conservation achievement for Hardy County and the broader Central Appalachia region. This land protection agreement safeguards a diverse landscape of forests, open fields, wetlands, springs, ponds, tributary streams, and riparian habitats while ensuring the land remains protected from future development.
“This conservation easement is about protecting the land, the water, and the incredible diversity of life that depends on both,” said Hope Yankey. “A drop of rain that falls here begins a journey that ultimately reaches the Chesapeake Bay. We have always felt a responsibility to honor and protect that watershed.”
With Wilding Woolly farm, the trust now protects 15,283 acres of land and 52 miles vital waterways in this unique watershed at the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay. In our 36 years of existence, we have contributed more than $6 million to local landowner families and the communities they’re part of. Moreover, these protected lands provide habitat for dozens of rare, threatened, and endangered species and contribute clean air and water to local and regional communities that lie between our watershed and the Chesapeake Bay.