LAND TRUSTS: A Way to Preserve Land and Benefit Land-owners
What Types of Land would you put into a Land Trust?
Land trusts consider many types of land worthy of protection. Land trusts are committed to identifying land and water resources that are valuable to their communities. It could be a farm, a flatland, a forest or a river. As community-based organizations, land trusts have an interest in preserving areas that are closely identified with their community's natural heritage. In broad terms, land trusts work with landowners, other conservation organizations and government agencies to protect:
1. Natural Areas, archeologically-significant sites, and ecologically sensitive land that is important as wildlife habitat. In Hawaii, we have many endangered species whose habitat is threatened. As they say, if enough other species are threatened, eventually humanity itself will be threatened and might become an endangered species.
2. Wetlands, Streams, Rivers, Marshes, Ponds and Lakes.
Land Trusts help preserve water quality, waterfowl nesting habitat and shoreline areas, and support fish and other aquatic species.
3. Forests. Land trusts collaborate with private forest owners and ranches to help protect forests and develop sustainable forest plans.
4. Recreational Land. Community enjoyment of recreation lands is an important objective of land trusts. Examples include protection of trail systems that invite walkers, hikers, bicyclists and horseback riders, as well as hunting and fishing areas for all to use.
5. Open Spaces. Open areas are important to many cities and towns, urban or rural; land trusts work to preserve these spaces for their natural, historic and agricultural values.
6. Park Lands. Park lands initially protected by a land trust may be transferred to local governments to manage or added to existing park areas.
7. Scenic or Unique Areas. Scenic views along rural roads or highways or unique natural features in or near a community are part of our priceless landscape; land trusts use various conservation methods to protect these areas so that you and your children's children can enjoy them.
8. Agricultural Lands. Working farms, orchards and cropland also have a place in the conservation landscape; land trusts work to protect land and water areas with significant agricultural value.
Land Trusts, in summation, benefit everyone. Business people and farmers can work with Smart Growth land planners to create environments that are both pleasing and profitable. It's a win/win.
Some of the most successful land trust efforts have resulted in large portions of forest, wetlands, mountain and seashore areas being preserved in their natural state with no development.
There are a variety of land trusts and many levels of preservation.
What is a land trust?
A land trust is a registered charitable non-profit organization that is dedicated to preserving and protecting natural and cultural areas.
While their individual goals may differ, most land trusts share the following goals and characteristics:
~Protect and manage areas of natural, cultural and historical value
~Are non-governmental, operating for the public benefit
~Secure and protect heritage sites through land purchase or donation, conservation easements, or programs to cooperate with landowners
~Community supported through memberships, donations and volunteer involvement.
~Protect lands with a variety of naturally or culturally significant features and habitats
Some of the methods and tools used by Land Trusts are:
acquisition
conservation easements
education
promotion of good land stewardship
transfer of develoment rights
estate planning
working with landowners.
You have many choices.
The tax breaks are there to encourage conservation in the middle of growth. Please contact us if you are interested. Thank you.
