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Conservation Easements:Conservation Easements:an environmental strategy for an environmental strategy for natural resource preservation natural resource preservation
and conservationand conservation
NTRES431: Environmental StrategiesOctober 26, 2004
Jim Goetz, Maryann Nowak, Meghan Manion, Sarah Manley, Tracey Qi Tian
OverviewOverview
IntroductionIntroduction-- What are conservation What are conservation easements?easements?MotivationsMotivations-- Why do people decide Why do people decide to donate a CE?to donate a CE?Assessments and Tax BenefitsAssessments and Tax BenefitsCase studiesCase studies-- examples both local, examples both local, regional and internationalregional and internationalFutureFuture-- What is going to happen to What is going to happen to CECE’’s in the future?s in the future?
http://www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/report04_highwayhealth/
The nature of sprawlThe nature of sprawl
2.1 million acres/year2.1 million acres/year
““therethere’’s no there s no there therethere”” -- G. SteinG. Stein
The cost of sprawlThe cost of sprawl2.1 million acres of open space have been 2.1 million acres of open space have been converted each year to urban, residential, converted each year to urban, residential, commercial or industrial uses. commercial or industrial uses. Increased commuting distance and traffic Increased commuting distance and traffic congestion, air pollution.congestion, air pollution.US miles driven doubled from 1960US miles driven doubled from 1960--1990, 1990, despite a population increase of only 40%. despite a population increase of only 40%. Time and fuel costs = millions of dollars Time and fuel costs = millions of dollars annually.annually.
Land conservation in the USLand conservation in the USUS DOI budget = $14 billion.US DOI budget = $14 billion.507 million acres = 1/5 of US landmass. 507 million acres = 1/5 of US landmass. 104 million acres of wilderness = 1/25 of US.104 million acres of wilderness = 1/25 of US.Broad mission of the DOI can result in conflicts: Broad mission of the DOI can result in conflicts: must protect >1800 endangered/threatened must protect >1800 endangered/threatened species.species.Must ensure an Must ensure an ““adequate and affordable supply adequate and affordable supply of energyof energy””Is currently the source of 28% of US energy Is currently the source of 28% of US energy production.production.
Conservation EasementsConservation Easements
Hybrid of private initiative and govHybrid of private initiative and gov’’t incentives.t incentives.““Bundle of rightsBundle of rights”” concept of land ownership.concept of land ownership.Voluntary legal contract between a landowner Voluntary legal contract between a landowner and a NGO or govand a NGO or gov’’t agency.t agency.Limits uses of the land to protect conservation Limits uses of the land to protect conservation values values -- usually permanently.usually permanently.Allows the owner to and use, sell, lease, etc. Allows the owner to and use, sell, lease, etc. land. land. Easement holder ensures restrictions are Easement holder ensures restrictions are enforced.enforced.
Advantages of CEAdvantages of CE’’ss
VoluntaryVoluntaryIncentive basedIncentive based““Bottom upBottom up””NonNon--confrontational confrontational –– no losers because there is no battle.no losers because there is no battle.–– if wellif well--planned, always winplanned, always win--winwin
NonNon--partisanpartisanFlexibleFlexible
http://www.lta.org/newsroom/census_charts.htmhttp://www.lta.org/newsroom/census_charts.htm
Distribution of Land Trusts in the US
Source: J.A. Gustanski (1998)
http://www.lta.org/newsroom/census_charts.htmhttp://www.lta.org/newsroom/census_charts.htm
MotivationsMotivations
Land owner specificLand owner specificTwo general categoriesTwo general categories–– Long term: personal convictionLong term: personal conviction
Protect land for future useProtect land for future useAvailable for future generationsAvailable for future generationsStop sprawl and commercial expansionStop sprawl and commercial expansion
–– Short term: monetary needShort term: monetary needQuick cash for debt paymentQuick cash for debt paymentReinvestment on or off farmReinvestment on or off farm
PostPost--easement sentimentseasement sentiments
PositivePositive–– land protected forever, no fear of land protected forever, no fear of
developmentdevelopment–– monetary issue resolvedmonetary issue resolvedNegativeNegative–– 33rdrd party monitoring, loss of total controlparty monitoring, loss of total control–– restrictions on land userestrictions on land use–– lower real estate valuelower real estate value
Termination of CETermination of CE
Abandonment by easement Abandonment by easement holderholder–– violation of restrictions, poor monitoringviolation of restrictions, poor monitoringEminent domainEminent domainArbitration / judicial interventionArbitration / judicial intervention
LegislationLegislation19761976-- first federal statue recognizing CE and first federal statue recognizing CE and establishing tax deductionsestablishing tax deductions19861986-- requirements for valuation and appraisals requirements for valuation and appraisals of CE, further tax benefit schemesof CE, further tax benefit schemes19811981-- Uniform Conservation Easement Act Uniform Conservation Easement Act (UCEA)(UCEA)–– established framework for states to address common established framework for states to address common
law landlaw land--use problem, use problem, –– CE established as legally enduring land management CE established as legally enduring land management
tooltool–– allowed restrictions to be assigned to the landallowed restrictions to be assigned to the land–– accepted by 22 statesaccepted by 22 states
Legislation Legislation ConCon’’tt
TAX INCENTIVESTAX INCENTIVES
Sways people who are land rich and Sways people who are land rich and money poormoney poorFair Market ValuationFair Market Valuation““HIGHEST AND BESTHIGHEST AND BEST”” USE OF LANDUSE OF LANDProperty value is determined by a Property value is determined by a property assessor/appraiserproperty assessor/appraiserGovernment IncentiveGovernment Incentive
Different approaches assessors Different approaches assessors use to valuate propertyuse to valuate property
Sales ApproachSales ApproachCost ApproachCost ApproachIncome ApproachIncome Approach
Taxes affected by CETaxes affected by CE’’ss
Income TaxIncome Tax–– Gift DeductionsGift DeductionsEstate TaxEstate TaxProperty TaxProperty Tax–– Varies from State to State (i.e. NY)Varies from State to State (i.e. NY)–– Cohesive method??Cohesive method??
Case study of CE as an economic Case study of CE as an economic incentive for water quality protection: incentive for water quality protection:
NYS Watershed Conservation NYS Watershed Conservation Easement ProgramEasement Program
Procedure for Watershed CE Procedure for Watershed CE
Voluntary programVoluntary programIndependent, licensed AppraisersIndependent, licensed AppraisersNYC Priority list of land purchaseNYC Priority list of land purchaseValuation made by individual Valuation made by individual propertyproperty
Monitoring and EnforcementMonitoring and Enforcement
DEPDEP’’ss responsibilityresponsibilityVisit each property once a yearVisit each property once a yearRequirement for restoring to prior Requirement for restoring to prior conditionconditionMaintain good relations with Maintain good relations with landownerslandowners
Motivations and IncentivesMotivations and Incentives
New York City:New York City:-- Win development Win development
rights of riparian rights of riparian landslands
-- Avoid further Avoid further pollution to water pollution to water sourcessources
-- Gain the Filtration Gain the Filtration avoidance from avoidance from USEPAUSEPA
-- Pay less
Landowners:Landowners:-- Cash for easementCash for easement-- Deduction of taxes Deduction of taxes
*60% reduction of*60% reduction ofproperty taxproperty tax
*80% reduction of the*80% reduction of theremaining 40% ofremaining 40% ofproperty taxproperty tax
$3000 $240$3000 $240
Pay less
Potential problemsPotential problems
Ineffective acquisition of land Ineffective acquisition of land Waste of moneyWaste of moneyLoss of interest to sell easements Loss of interest to sell easements due to the restrictions of land due to the restrictions of land development in perpetuitydevelopment in perpetuity
Local Case Study
www.fllt.orgwww.fllt.org
47 Conservation Easements(and 1500 members)
RECENT ADDITIONS:RECENT ADDITIONS:10/04/04 Canandaigua (38 acres)
9/21/04 Synder Hill (95 acres)
7/13/04 Yates (84 acres)
6/29/04 Tioga (160 acres)
CohousingCohousing, Organic , Organic Agriculture...but most Agriculture...but most
importantly...importantly...A Conservation Easement!A Conservation Easement!
(Possibly) Coming soon.....(Possibly) Coming soon.....A Non Toxic Cemetery!A Non Toxic Cemetery!
Unique Conservation Easements:Unique Conservation Easements:CAVESCAVES
Environmentally and Socially ImportantEnvironmentally and Socially Important–– HistoryHistory–– RecreationRecreation–– EcologyEcology
Why Is It Important To Conserve Why Is It Important To Conserve Caves?Caves?
A. ItA. It’’s not. Theys not. They’’re underground. re underground. B. All bears live in them.B. All bears live in them.C. Phone a friend who knows from C. Phone a friend who knows from
the south. (240) 446 4001the south. (240) 446 4001
West Virginia Cave West Virginia Cave ConservancyConservancy
Goals:Goals:–– preserve/gain access to caves in usepreserve/gain access to caves in use–– protect sensitive cave resourcesprotect sensitive cave resources–– provide education to landowners/local provide education to landowners/local
governmentsgovernments–– organize conservation projectsorganize conservation projects–– solicit funding for abovesolicit funding for above
MaxweltonMaxwelton CaveCave(Common Name: Cow (Common Name: Cow ShSh**t Pit)**t Pit)
Conservation EasementConservation EasementReturned to Public UseReturned to Public UseLiability Removed from OwnerLiability Removed from Owner
INTERNATIONALINTERNATIONALNature Conservancy!Nature Conservancy!
CANADA MEXICO
AUSTRALIA
LATIN AMERICA
Future of Conservation Future of Conservation EasementsEasements
Shift from acquisition to stewardship, Shift from acquisition to stewardship, education.education.Close cooperation with municipalities Close cooperation with municipalities to plan growth together.to plan growth together.–– avoid duplicated efforts.avoid duplicated efforts.–– gain support of local govgain support of local gov’’t.t.–– minimize minimize eminent domaineminent domain challenges to challenges to
easements.easements.
Criticisms of CECriticisms of CE’’ssPotential for abuse (e.g. TNC in Potential for abuse (e.g. TNC in 2003).2003).Perpetuity clause or Perpetuity clause or ““dead hand dead hand controlcontrol””–– changes/limitations on land are less changes/limitations on land are less
severe than most types of development severe than most types of development or extraction.or extraction.
–– always amendable by eminent domainalways amendable by eminent domain–– actually preserve far more options for actually preserve far more options for
future.future.
Patchwork protectionPatchwork protection–– illusion of protection?illusion of protection?
CE discussion pointsCE discussion pointsCan of CECan of CE’’s foster a shift from s foster a shift from rightsrights--orientedoriented view of private property view of private property ownership to ownership to responsibilitiesresponsibilities--oriented oriented view?view?Is sprawl bad?Is sprawl bad?What happens when all land is locked up/ What happens when all land is locked up/ built out?built out?Is it fair for private individuals and Is it fair for private individuals and organizations to decide land use for organizations to decide land use for perpetuity? Or is it the governmentperpetuity? Or is it the government’’s job?s job?Are there unintended consequences?Are there unintended consequences?
ThanksThanks
Andy Andy ZeppZepp, Finger Lakes Land Trust, Finger Lakes Land TrustAlex Alex SproulSproul, West Virginia Cave , West Virginia Cave ConservancyConservancyDean Dean HeberlingHeberling, Attorney at law, , Attorney at law, Syracuse, NYSyracuse, NY