Land Protection Options
There are a variety of voluntary conservation options that give you, as a landowner, the flexibility to meet your needs while providing lasting conservation benefits.  Many of these include significant income, estate and property tax reductions that you should carefully consider with your legal and financial advisors.

- Land Protection Agreements - Land Donations - Other Strategies

Voluntary Land Protection Agreements (Conservation Easements)
A land protection agreement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust to permanently protect a property's natural characteristics by limiting how it can be used.  The land remains private property, but it can only be developed to the extent specified in the easement.  The land can be sold with the easement in place or passed down to successors.  Unlike deed restrictions and covenants, a land protection agreement comes with a stewardship commitment from the land trust to monitor the land and ensure that the easement's terms are carried through into perpetuity.  

NOTE:  For any conservation easements donated in 2009, special enhanced federal income tax benefits apply - we do not yet know if these enhanced benefits will apply in 2010.  Please call us for details!

Land Donations
Donating land for conservation leaves a legacy that lasts long after we're gone.  Some prefer to donate land in their wills, while others donate their property up front to take full advantage of income and estate tax deductions.

The donation could also take the form of a reserved life estate.  The property can be donated up front, but you reserve the right to live on the land for the remainder of your lifetime.  

Other Strategies
Bargain sales of land or easements, limited development strategies (selling or developing part of the land while protecting other parts), and entering into Managed Forest Law and other conservation programs, are all options you could consider.  Donations of cash, non-conservation property, life insurance, stocks and other contributions can all help NWLT conserve the northwoods. 

It's up to you...
The Northwoods Land Trust can provide you with information and resources to help you choose how you would like to leave your legacy for future generations. 

Email:   nwlt@northwoodslandtrust.org  Phone: 715-479-2490