Conservation Easements
"It feels good to participate in the preservation of open land in this way—the process is painless, the result an odd bit of immortality."
– Diane Legier
A conservation easement is a legal agreement between a landowner and WLC. It permanently restricts the type, location, and amount of development that can occur on a property so that conservation values recognized by WLC—such as wildlife habitat, scenic views, and water resources—are protected forever. Landowners retain full title to the land and are free to sell, lease, or mortgage their property. An easement “runs with the land;” in other words, these restrictions are conveyed to all future owners of the property.
Although easements are legally binding and permanent, they are tailored to the personal wishes and financial goals of the landowner and to the land itself. For example, a landowner might retain the right to build or harvest timber on one or more sections of the property while leaving the rest undisturbed.
Conservation easements can provide financial benefits in three key ways:
- Reduced property taxes. Because market value is usually less if future development is restricted by conservation easements, property taxes associated with such “restricted” land often decline when it is reassessed.
- A conservation easement can qualify as a tax-deductible charitable donation when given to a non-profit organization like WLC. The value of the donation is the difference between the property’s market value before and after the easement is donated.
- An easement can relieve the potential financial burden of inheriting land. Because the market value of easement-restricted land is usually reduced, the estate taxes on the land could decrease as well.
Click here to read about new state and federal benefits for landowners with conservation easements on their land.