 Most
people who protect their land with the help of the Conservancy for Charles
County do so by donating a conservation easement. This widely used conservation
tool permanently preserves land valuable for its natural or historic features
and keeps it free from unwanted or inappropriate development.
A
conservation easement has the following characteristics:
-
It
is perpetual.
-
It
runs with the deed to the land.
-
It
applies to all successor owners of the land.
Each
deed of conservation easement reflects the property's individual character
and the long-term aims of its current owner. It must also meet defined
conservation standards conforming to IRS requirements if the donor wishes
to seek a charitable tax benefit. To fit that definition, the easement
needs to satisfy one or more of the following criteria:
-
It
preserves an important natural habitat or ecosystem.
-
It
maintains an historically important land area or building.
-
It
results in a significant public benefit by preserving open space (including
farmland and forested land) for the scenic enjoyment of the general public
or pursuant to a clear governmental policy.
-
The
land will be used for public outdoor recreation or education.
In
addition, the donation of the conservation easement must be made to an
organization qualified to receive it under IRS rules. Like most nonprofit,
tax-exempt land trusts, the Conservancy is a qualified organization.
The
process of drawing up an easement document involves taking into account
the uses of the land, its natural and/or historical character, and the
aspirations of the owner. We can furnish useful resource materials to prospective
donors, including information about federal and state tax benefits. We
work closely with landowners to prepare a clearly written and legally sound
deed. Once completed to everyone's satisfaction and signed and dated, it
is recorded in the county land records office.
That's
not the end of the story! Now the task of ongoing stewardship enters the
picture. To learn about stewardship, click
here.
To
review how the Conservancy evaluates land proposed for a conservation easement,
click
here.
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Copyright
© 2005-2007 Conservancy for Charles County, Inc. |
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Ladyslipper
Conservancy
for Charles County, Inc.
P.O.
Box 1358
Waldorf,
MD 20604
(301)
932-5714
info@conservecharles.org
|
Easements
