What is fee ownership?

Fee ownership is when a landowner sells, donates, or transfers their property to CLC, creating a permanent preserve.  Permanent preserve ownership designation denotes that the acquisition has some attribute of country-wide significance. In the case of permanent ownership, the land trust shall see that the property is properly stewarded and that sufficient management funds and administrative attention are devoted to the property.

What is a Conservation Easement?

A Conservation Easement is a legal agreement between a landowner and a qualified conservation organization or a government agency that permanently limits land uses in order to protect conservation values. Certain rights, which a landowner holds by owning a property, are granted to the qualified conservation organization or agency through the conservation easement. For example, in a conservation easement, a landowner may permanently reduce the number of homes that can be built on a property. Or, to permanently preserve a forest for wildlife habitat, an easement may prohibit or limit logging. The extent and nature of the restrictions are based on the conservation goals of the landowner in combination with the goals of the organization or agency. Easements are flexible, and can be written to meet a landowner's needs while protecting the conservation values. An easement provides permanent restrictions that continue to apply to future owners.

When CLC holds a Conservation Easement, the Stewardship Department provides technical support to the property owner to manage their lands in accordance with the conservation easement.  These sites are visited at least annually.

What is a Stewardship Easement?

CLC also partners with landowners to develop Stewardship Easements.  Unlike the Conservation Easement, a Stewardship Easement does not grant CLC an ownership interest in the property.  These agreements, however, allow CLC to maintain an active stewardship role on the property to preserve and enhance the conservation values of the property through scientific, restoration, education and interpretive activities.