Fighting to preserve Virginia battlefields

Historic preservationists lose some big fights, as they did in their recent efforts to block plans for a Walmart next to the Wilderness battlefield near Fredericksburg. But they score many victories, too, thanks to increasingly well-organized efforts to buy significant sites before they end up on a developer's blueprint.

The Civil War Preservation Trust is one of many large and small foundations acquiring portions of battlefields that aren't part of national or state parks, as well as buying land to create buffers between parks and nearby development. Since 1987, the group has helped secure close to 30,000 acres in Virginia and 19 other states.

The group and others like it owe part of their success to federal matching grants provided through the Civil War Preservation Program. In the past decade, the grants have helped protect more than 15,000 acres in Virginia and other states.

One of the program's biggest champions on Capitol Hill is Sen. Jim Webb, who introduced a bill two years ago to reauthorize the effort. The Virginia Democrat also recently urged his colleagues in the Senate to double its appropriation to bring it to the same $9 million approved by the House.

Webb's call to action is timely for two reasons. The nation's interest in the Civil War is likely to spike in two years with the 150th anniversary of the epic conflict. And, with the real estate market slumping, now is a good time to buy.

For taxpayers, few programs generate a better return on investment. Tourism is one of Virginia's biggest industries, generating $1.28 billion in state and local taxes and supporting more than 200,000 jobs.

Civil War history is a major part of the state's tourism appeal. A study commissioned by the Civil War Battlefield Trust showed that 13 sites in various states - including battlefields in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania County and New Market - produce $15.3 million a year in state taxes and $7.8 million in local government taxes.

Congress and taxpayers should maintain steady support for the matching-grant program. It helps preserve key sites in our history and, at a time when stimulating the economy is on everyone's mind, it's one program that clearly generates results.