Working with Willing Landowners
GLLT supports landowners’ visions by offering multiple conservation approaches, including conservation easements and land ownership by the land trust.
Options for conserving your land while continuing to own it.
While current use taxation programs and deed restrictions are available to all, GLLT and other land trusts offer conservation easements as an option.
Conservation Easements
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 maintain its conservation values. Most commonly, an easement permanently limits the land’s development potential.
However, landowners retain many of their other ownership rights, including the right to own and manage the land, sell it, and pass it on to their heirs, and the right to limit or allow public access. Each easement is tailored to protect the land’s natural and cultural values, meet the landowners’ financial and personal needs, and meet conservation goals that fulfill GLLT’s mission.
Donations of Land
The land trust also accepts gifts of land, whereby a landowner transfers full ownership to GLLT. GLLT may also purchase land and easements if conservation values are exceptional. Properties that possess significant ecological, recreational, cultural, and/or community value become part of GLLT’s reserve and preserve lands.
Donations of conservation easements or full ownership interests have potential financial benefits.
As a non-profit, GLLT accepts donations of land interests, which have potential income, estate, and property tax benefits for the landowner.
Contact GLLT for more information and consult your finacial or Legal advisor.
Or, to get started, take a look at the landowner guide recently revised by the Maine Land Trust Network (link below).