09/29/2026
! Have you heard? Our Executive Director Brent Bailey has announced his retirement with a personal note:
Dear Friends,
“Do you really think this can work in West Virginia?” asked a skeptical acquaintance in 2012, when I accepted the position of Executive Director at the West Virginia Land Trust. “Our state has more of a history of damaging the land than protecting it.”
He listed some potential barriers to success: Shifting a mindset from land extraction toward protection. Limited philanthropy. Difficulty building support. Suspicion of environmental projects. A struggling nonprofit community. A state where basic needs overshadow “nice-to-haves” like nature preserves.
“If you build it, they will come,” I responded, sounding more confident than I actually felt. But I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make a hard run at lofty goals in my home state.
Those lofty goals have largely materialized, and I feel privileged to have spent the last 14 years leading WVLT’s conservation efforts. WVLT ‘s protected acreage now conserves waterfalls, endangered species, old growth forests, drinking water sources, recreational trails, river access, climbing sites, a battlefield, caves, and more. Our staff has grown from 1 to 11. We’ve secured more than 62,000 acres, across more than 80 transactions, in more than half of the counties in the state. Highly engaged volunteers turn out to help build and maintain trails. WVLT owns ten public preserves, with more slated for development. People like you have signed up, showed up, and shored up these efforts. Together, we race at lofty goals and succeed... and continue to pursue more great opportunities.
What’s behind those numbers is important, too. WVLT’s hard-working Board of Directors makes us stronger, guiding our strategy, providing time, money, and advice. Our small but mighty staff represents impressive depth and breadth in its knowledge and ex*****on of land protection, management, outreach, and best practices that have led to our national accreditation. And most importantly: This work ignites excitement and invites participation with communities, organizations, businesses, agencies, and many supportive individuals in a way that lifts all boats.
All of those barriers my friend described were – and are – real. But they are not insurmountable. Protecting land overcomes many of our state’s biggest challenges. West Virginians of all political stripes celebrate our land’s natural beauty. Donors open their wallets for a good cause that shows tangible results. Public spaces help people connect, reflect, and play. Nature preserves enhance communities’ livability, attract new remote workers, and serve as healing refuges that support physical and mental health.
I am proud of the organizational growth we have created over the last 14 years, and I know the Mountain State’s future in conservation is in good hands. So, I have decided it’s time to pass the baton in this race to a successor. I will retire at the end of the year to spend more time with my family and race after my grandchild. Know that I am grateful for and humbled by the support and drive that our growing community has brought to conservation, and I hope you will continue to run with the WVLT team to make more great things happen.
I’m looking forward to more time to walk on trails, float rivers, volunteer with like-minded organizations, deepen friendships with people I’ve met through this work, and enjoy the rewarding fruits of some hard labor. I hope to see you outside!
Brent Bailey, Ph.D.
WVLT’s first full-time Executive Director
