Do you purchase land in order to permanently conserve the property?

Not usually. Using a tool called a conservation easement, we work with willing landowners to place certain limitations on the use of the landowner’s property. A conservation easement (also called a conservation agreement) is a legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust or government agency that permanently limits uses of the land in order to protect its conservation values. It allows the landowner to continue to own and use the land and to sell it or pass it on to heirs. This method of conservation is more cost-effective for our organization than outright purchasing property.