In our May 2020 eNews, we shared the news of the first round of projects realized through the Pacific Northwest Resilient Landscape Initiative – led by the Land Trust Alliance, Oregon Community Foundation, Seattle Foundation, and Idaho Community Foundation with support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Congratulations to the following WALT members, whose projects were recommended for the
The first round of projects from the Pacific Northwest Resilient Landscapes Initiative has been announced. Five leading organizations – the Land Trust Alliance, Oregon Community Foundation, Seattle Foundation, Idaho Community Foundation and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation – are leading this initiative. This initiative connects “natural resilience with community resilience, supporting projects that strengthen access
Abusive conservation easement tax shelters continue to pose a threat to our community. Keep yourself informed by reviewing the resources included here on the background of this issue, how the transaction takes place, and how you can respond in your community.
This 2015 report by California FarmLink share nine case studies of how land trusts and other conservation groups are working to protect agricultural land by promoting secure tenure for the farmers and ranchers who steward them.
These model lease and model easement documents, developed by Equity Trust, are alternative ownership models designed to keep farms affordable for farmers and producing food for their communities.
This report by the National Young Farmers Coalition calls on land trusts and public and private funders to adopt and incentivize new conservation easements that keep land affordable for working farmers.
This article examines the fundamental premises underlying agricultural easements and discusses key drafting issues that reflect those premises and objectives. Some of the key drafting issues include the easement purpose, construction of agricultural buildings and structures, construction of residential and farm worker dwellings, agricultural practices, subdivision and rural enterprises. Source: Farmland Information Center.
The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) is a voluntary federal conservation program implemented by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The program protects agricultural land via the Agricultural Land Easements (ALE). Learn more from this ACEP-ALE factsheet.
This factsheet outlines the restrictions, rights, valuation, and tax benefits of placing conservation easements on agricultural land. Source: Farmland Information Center
This annotated model agricultural conservation easement is intended as a drafting guide for farmland preservation. Source: Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office.