Conservation agreements are forever and are a very big decision. We have pulled together these FAQs to share more information on the process and we are always happy to connect you with our team to discuss further. We recommend you seek legal and financial guidance before entering an agreement.
A nonprofit organization that works to protect natural areas by negotiating voluntary agreements with private property owners and monitoring, stewarding and upholding those agreements in perpetuity.
A voluntary, legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust. Land remains in private ownership, allowing the landowner to continue doing what they always have. The land remains managed in its current natural condition, undeveloped, thus protecting the land's conservation values. A conservation easement does not restrict landowners from selling or passing along their land. Unless agreed upon, it does not allow public access, only access for periodic monitoring by the land trust to ensure that the conservation values in the easement are upheld. The landowner does give up some rights to their land that would threaten the conservation value.
A landowner then works with us to agree on what rights will be limited, such as subdivision or commercial development, and to identify priority conservation values. The agreement is permanent and “runs with the land,” meaning it applies to you and all future owners.
Conservation easements can limit subdivision and non-agricultural development while allowing activities such as ongoing ranching, farming, and other agreed-upon uses. They also outline reserved building areas, conservation goals, and how we will monitor the property annually. While we do not get involved in land management, our stewardship team can help landowners with management activities, subject to the terms of the conservation easement.
Costs can include appraisal, legal and title work, baseline report preparation, and stewardship funds for long-term monitoring. These costs vary depending on the property’s size and complexity, and are often covered by the landowner. Where possible, GRC can help landowners identify potential sources of funding to help with project costs.
While our efforts are throughout the watershed, we focus on projects that will protect the health and quality of the River and its tributaries, including riparian corridors, wetlands, working farms and ranches, aquifer recharge, and coastal habitats. As a local land trust, we work with willing landowners to establish a perpetual conservation easement.
One of the primary responsibilities of a land trust is to ensure that the conservation easement agreements are being followed. Therefore, we visit your land each year as a check-up and to document any significant changes. We arrange a time that works for you and walk the property together.
You retain the right to live on, work, farm, hunt, fish, restrict access and pass down your land to your heirs with the conservation easement permanently in place. This is a great option for those who want to continue to live on the land while knowing it will remain exactly as it is today, forever.
Our conservation easements do not require landowners to allow the public onto their land.