Land for a new state forest in Rockbridge County has been acquired as part of Gov. Tim Kaine's goal to conserve 400,000 acres of Virginia countryside.

A 2,353-acre tract in the far southwest corner of the county will become the Moore's Creek State Forest -- one of several recent purchases that enabled Kaine to reach his goal, the governor announced Friday.

The final tally was 424,103 acres, although that figure includes about 46,000 acres placed under conservation easements during the six months before Kaine took office in 2006. The count was done by fiscal year, giving Kaine credit for land conserved since July 1, 2005.

With six weeks left in Kaine's term, the state was about 15,000 acres short of the goal. Several land purchases, using state bonds leveraged by federal funding, helped close the gap.

In Rockbridge County, the new state forest includes the headwaters of Moore's Creek. Bordered on three sides by national forest, the tract is prime habitat for native trout, black bear and deer.

Another parcel that straddles Rockbridge and Botetourt counties, the 4,232-acre Short Hills area, was also purchased by the state and will become a wildlife management area.

Kaine announced his goal of conserving 400,000 acres shortly after taking office in 2006.

Conservation easements on private lands make up the bulk of protected lands. But through purchases, the commonwealth has also gained five state forests, three state parks, three wildlife management areas and 13 natural area preserves.

"This land conservation goal is one that strongly resonated with me personally, and it obviously resonated with other Virginians as well," Kaine said in a prepared statement.

"It was truly a team effort among state agencies, land trusts and private landowners to make this a reality."