Conservation Easements
Conservation Easements protect wild lands by preserving the land and its habitats in perpetuity.
What is a Conservation Easement?
A conservation easement is essentially an agreement between a landowner and a land conservation organization called a “Land Trust.” The easement vests interest in the real property to the Land Trust, who manages the land, ensuring that the easement’s purposes are carried out, and making certain that the restrictions placed on the land are enforced. The easement is recorded against the property and “runs with the land,” which means it is applicable to all current and future landowners. Most conservation easements are purchased with funds from local, state, or federal governments, nonprofit organizations, or private donors.
A conservation easement can be crafted toward a multitude of purposes: to foster growth of healthy forest, to maintain wildlife habitat and migration corridors, protect scenic vistas from roads or public use, preserve wetlands, or to ensure that lands are always available for sustainable agriculture.
What are the Benefits of a Conservation Easement?
As well as habitat preservation, protecting migration routes and critical wetlands, conservation easements provide open space for wildlife to hunt, forage, winter, and breed. Skylines are protected, dark space is preserved, and native flora and fauna have room to flourish.
In addition, there are income tax deductions and credits available for those who grant conservation easements, as well as potential benefits with respect to estate tax exclusions and reductions.
Are There Any Reasons Not to Do a Conservation Easement?
First and foremost, the restrictions granted within any easement are perpetual in nature, which means they cannot be removed from the property. Because those restrictions often include a limit or outright ban on development, an easement can affect the appraised value of the property.
Protecting the Future
Conservation easements preserve habitat and ensure intact ecosystems for both wildlife and the landscape that houses them. Trees are allowed to grow and die; the soil is left undisturbed; waterways are protected. Granting a conservation easement leaves a lasting legacy of conservation that will last for decades to come .
If you’re interested in granting a conservation easement, you can find more detailed information at www.conservationeasement.us.