The Loudon family has long been passionate about conservation and farmland protection. Their 155-acre farm has been in the family for over a century. On its rolling hills in Harrison County, they raise cattle using regenerative practices that improve forage quality, soil health, and livestock production. They also manage several acres of forest for both timber and wildlife habitat.
The farm sits in close proximity to the Blue River, which serves as critical habitat for the endangered Hellbender salamander. By using farming techniques that reduce runoff and improve water quality, the Loudons are helping protect this important species, and they’re taking their commitment to the land a step further, by placing it under a conservation easement.
In partnership with George Rogers Clark Land Trust (GRCLT), the USDA NRCS Agricultural Land Easement Program, and the Harrison County Conservation Committee, the land will be permanently protected from development. The easement deed was carefully crafted with help from the Conservation Law Center to protect the land from conversion. Under this agreement, the land will remain in agricultural use while requiring ongoing conservation practices that safeguard the property’s natural resources and watershed. GRCLT has worked diligently to help make the Loudon family’s dream of protecting their land a reality. Across the road, GRCLT is working to protect another 300 acres of working farmland. This easement, anticipated to close in 2026, will further strengthen environmental protections for the Blue River and the Hellbender.
This story was originally published in the 2025 State of the Lands. Read the entire edition here.