LAND CONSERVATION OPTIONS
 

 

The Land Trust’s service region consists of five towns in the Presumpscot River watershed: Gorham, Gray, Standish, Westbrook, and Windham. We currently protect over 1800 acres, including 16 Preserves that provide public access to trails and/or water.

Why protect land?

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One important advantage to working with the Land Trust to protect your land is that as your local land trust we are very closely tied to the needs and values of the community, and familiar with the diverse aspects of our local landscape. It is important to us that we are able to take the time to really understand your particular piece of land, and the values and needs that you and your family have tied to it.


WHAT DO WE PROTECT?

The Land Trust seeks to conserve the lands that best fit the criteria identified in our Conservation Plan (updated in 2018). The Plan identifies our core values as clean water, significant wildlife habitat, enlargement of existing conserved lands, and passive recreation (current or potential). In addition, we value large, undeveloped parcels and seek out opportunities to work with partners, like the local municipalities.

Our current highest conservation priorities are on or near the region’s major waterways.

Conservation options

Fee Simple:

  • The simplest conservation method to understand and carry out, a “Fee Simple” property is one where the Land Trust buys or accepts a donation of the land, and owns it outright. The Land Trust then protects and manages the land in perpetuity.

  • This is the preferred and most common way that we protect land.

Conservation Easement:

  • In unique cases the Land Trust will accept a conservation easement. The donor of the easement retains ownership of the land, while the Land Trust monitors the property and ensures the terms of the easement are met.

  • The land you own has many rights associated with it, and a conservation easement limits some of those rights to protect the conservation value of the land. Each easement is unique, but typically development, mining, and dumping become prohibited. Public access may be limited or prohibited - these and other items are discussed and agreed to by the owner and Land Trust in the process of creating the easement.