Why would one want to preserve land?

Wildlife habitat
Familial
Open space
Endangered species
Farmland
Picturesque
Wetlands
Discourage development

Reasons may vary from the desire to discourage development of ones land to a desire to make sure the land is undisturbed in perpetuity.  Some people will want the local flora and fauna to survive in its natural state. Still others may see a need to preserve land as a wildlife habitat or perhaps the knowledge that an endangered species, whether animal or plant, inhabits their land. Even something as simple as a species of orchid lives on the land they own may induce the owner to preserve their land.

 If one has farmland and feels pressure to sell to a developer but would rather have their land remain strictly farmland then there are ways to preserve that land that would make sure that there would never be a housing or industrial development started on that property. But farms, especially small, family owned ones are a disappearing feature of the landscape. Small farms, with open land are prime objects for developers. What can be more impressive than to top a hill or drive around a curve in the road and see, spread out before you. open, rolling hills with a barn, silos, home and other out buildings dotting the view. Certainly that picture will remain long after all the endless houses that dominate the landscape. If this is your situation check with your local land trust to see how preservation might be accomplished.

What about the land itself? If there is any sort of historical significance, an old Indian site or a heap of rubble that might have been a metal forge used during the Revolutionary War, if you even suspect a historical connection, even if you want to save a bit of your own family history you may want to preserve our land.

In the argument that there must be a balance between nature and economics the loser is inevitably nature; the needs of people always overrides any argument that suggests that that we need certain plants and animals. One way of countering this tendency is to preserve land thru the use of conservation easements, selling  or donating land to a land trust. Besides preserving the land there are some tax incentives for the landowner .

It is true that forests look unkempt but there is a reason for that appearance. Forests are the worlds major repository of carbon. Green, leafy plants remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it within themselves. When a plant dies, brakes and falls to the ground the carbon they contain is taken with them and stored in the ground as they decompose.

Now, that may not seem important or significant, but without trees, bushes and other green, leafy plants the delicate balance between the oxygen in the air we breath and the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) would be disrupted. Too much (CO 2 ) in the atmosphere would produce two situations that are detrimental to life, one is simply that too high a concentration of (CO 2 ) and life would be unsustainable and two, the  the higher the level of (CO 2 ) in the atmosphere the higher the average global temperature would become (Green house effect).

Conservation Easement

A conservation easement is a legal agreement between a landowner and the land trust that places specific land use restrictions on a property. The specific restrictions are worked out between the land trust and the landowner. The easement becomes part of the title to the property. The landowner may sell or bequeath the property allowing it to remain in private ownership. The land may be used only in a manner consistent with the easements restrictions. All future owners are bound by the terms of the easement. Public access may be limited or denied at the landowners discretion. This option allows the landowner to live permanently on the land for as long as he/she lives and use it consistent with the easement terms.
The NFLT's responsibility is to monitor the land to insure the terms of the easement are not breached.

 

 

 

Land Donations

Land donations give the land trust full control over the land consistent with the objectives of the land trust. This option appeals to land owners who want the land maintained in it's natural condition. Other considerations may be open space, farm land, ecological, scenic or wild animal habitat among others.
NFLT decides on a management program for stewardship and restoration of natural habitat  as necessary. Such land is open to the public for passive use only.

Donation by will

The landowner may wish to donate his or her land by will. This option allows the landowner to control the land while alive but assures that after death the land will be preserved by the land trust.