A land trust, in its essence, is a legal agreement where a trustee holds the title to a property on behalf of a beneficiary. This arrangement offers a layer of privacy since the trust, not the individual, appears as the property owner in public records.
Our mission is to protect, restore and sustain Northern Indiana's ecosystems by providing habitat for native species and offering natural places for the education, appreciation and enjoyment of current and future generations.
The most common way to protect land is with a conservation easement. A conservation easement is a voluntary, legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust that permanently limits uses of the land in order to protect its conservation values.
The Golden State is home to more than 150 land trusts, all of which are nonprofit organizations that own and manage land with the goal of preserving and maintaining the land's natural, recreational, historical or agricultural value.
The mission of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is to work with Minnesotans to conserve and manage the state's natural resources, to provide outdoor recreation opportunities, and to provide for commercial uses of natural resources in a way that creates a sustainable quality of life.
Conservation easements are conveyed by deed, have a conservation purpose, are in perpetuity (legal term meaning forever), require stewardship and monitoring, may only be extinguished by a court of law, are permanent and may offer tax benefits. It is difficult to remove a conservation easement.
The Land Trust's mission is to protect Minnesota's most vital natural lands to provide wildlife habitat, clean water, outdoor experiences, and scenic beauty for generations to come.
Drawbacks Of Conservation Easements Most conservation easements are permanent and bind all future landowners (including heirs). Conservation easement holders and farmers may not always share a common vision. Conservation easements can reduce the property's overall value, making the land worth less for future sales.
Contact land trusts and government agencies that work to assist landowners in your community who are interested in conservation. Get to know their policies and services, and discuss what you'd like to accomplish on your land and what rights you'd like to keep.
If there is a conservation easement (best thought of as a covenant), it typically protects the land for certain uses, such as forest or farming. Although you should read the legal document to be sure, it is unlikely that removing a dead tree will be prohibited.