A conservation agreement (or conservation easement) is a written agreement between a landowner and a qualified conservation organization or public agency, in which the landowner (also called grantor or donor) promises to keep their land in its natural condition without extensive disturbance and the conservation organization or public agency (also called grantee) has the right to monitor the property and enforce the terms of the agreement.
A conservation agreement is similar to restrictive covenants in a subdivision in that it restricts various uses of land. Each conservation agreement is voluntary and tailored to meet the needs of the landowner while protecting the property's natural assets. There are different types of conservation agreements, and they go by different names. For example, a conservation agreement may also be referred to as a deed of conservation easement, a grant of development rights, a historic preservation agreement, a farmland agreement, a facade easement, a working forest easement, a water quality easement, or an agricultural easement. Conservation agreements are intended to preserve undeveloped property and provide a benefit to the public by conserving open lands, forests, wildlife habitat, scenic vistas, farmland, stream banks, and other significant natural resources. Because of this public benefit, landowners who donate conservation agreements are eligible for significant federal, state, and local tax incentives. In addition, grant programs exist to purchase conservation agreements from landowners who have eligible property but may not be in a position to donate an easement.
The Farmland Preservation Ordinance has been revised to allow the County to hold permanent conservation easements on farms in the County. These easements are designed to protect rural lands, particularly in the vicinity of urban growth, near high priority waterways and other environmentally sensitive areas. This gives landowners another option when faced with the pressures of development. Conservation Easements typically take two to three years to complete.
Conservation Easement Resources