The Colorado Deed of Conservation Easement (DEC) is a legal agreement between a landowner and a qualified conservation organization or government agency that permanently restricts the development and use of a property for the purpose of protecting its conservation values. The deed is a voluntary agreement between the landowner and the organization that typically includes a transfer of a portion or all of the landowner’s rights to the organization. In exchange for the transfer of rights, the landowner may be eligible for tax benefits. The DEC is the most common type of conservation easement in Colorado, and it is designed to be used in a variety of situations, including protecting open space, habitat for wildlife, agricultural land, forests, and wetlands. The deed is typically tailored to the specific conservation values of the land. The two main types of Colorado Deed of Conservation Easement include: (1) the permanent conservation easement, which permanently restricts use and development of the property, and (2) the term conservation easement, which restricts the use and development of the property for a specified period of time.