The Chesterfield Conservancy has gone out of business, to some extent because of the political success of one of its founders.

Its assets of $550,000 have gone to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to further the mission of preserving open space and farmland.

Daniel A. Gecker, a trustee and co-founder of the Chesterfield Conservancy, was elected to the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors last year. To avoid conflicts of interest, he can't be involved in conservancy discussions with a landowner in any issue that might come before the board.

"I really believed in what we were doing," Gecker said. "We had some impact on the dialogue. . . .

"I'm hopeful that now I'm on the board, what I want to get done I ought to be able to get done more directly than through the nonprofit. It didn't make sense to keep the nonprofit going."

The conservancy generated its assets by buying and selling conservation easement credits from landowners, Gecker said.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation will use the money to continue a full-time position in the Richmond office for land planning and conservation, said Chuck Epes, foundation spokesman. -- Katherine Calos