A land trust is a nonprofit organization governed by citizens
concerned with the need to conserve open space -- undeveloped
lands with significant ecological, scenic, recreational, agricultural,
cultural or historic values -- within their community.
Land trusts have been active in the United States since the
19th century. In fact, land trusts represent the fastest-growing
conservation movement in the United States, having assisted
in the preservation of millions of acres of open space from
Maine to California and Minnesota to Texas.
Land trusts range from small groups of volunteers to large
organizations managed by professional staff. Some land trusts
own and manage land while others monitor and enforce the provisions
of conservation easements they helped put in place.
A land trust is run by people who understand what's important
in their community. When a landowner wants to turn her personal
love of the land into a commitment to protect that land, she
would ask a local land trust for help in achieving that goal.
Land trust volunteers bring a variety of skills to the table.
They are involved in real estate, ecology, education, communications,
fundraising and management of nonprofit organizations. What
these conservation volunteers have in common is an abiding interest
in protecting natural resources and preserving their natural
heritage. Some of the most committed people behind a land trust
are the landowners themselves. They care about protecting their
land and want to leave a legacy for future generations. They
know their partnership with a land trust is the key to ensuring
that legacy.
Local land trusts promote a variety of conservation options
that provide permanent protection for significant areas. Most
often, these options target land and water resources with natural,
recreational, scenic, historic or productive value. For conservation-minded
landowners, such protection strategies are both practical and
essential to preserving the land. A landowner may choose to
donate or sell property to a land trust to ensure permanent
protection. Or she may donate a conservation easement. An easement
places protective restrictions on present and future uses while
the landowner retains ownership and use of the land. In all
cases, the land trust and landowner work together to create
a protection strategy that meets the conservation needs of the
land as well as the financial needs of the landowner.
Properties protected by land trusts are everywhere... precious
prairie habitat...productive farmland...working forests...trails
maintained for hikers to enjoy. Conservation easements guarantee
that such resources are protected and preserved for generations
to come. It is no surprise. People who love the land have always
found a way to preserve nature's treasures. Now, more than ever,
they turn to a land trust to achieve that enduring legacy of
land. |
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