• A land trust is a non-profit organization recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) organization, giving it the tax benefits of a charity organization. In receiving this preferred tax benefit, land trusts have an obligation to achieve a public good through their work.
• Specific IRS guidelines outline the responsibilities of land trusts in accepting a conservation easement or land. Most land trusts use these guidelines for all transactions, whether donations or purchases of an easement or fee.
• A land trust is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and may or may not have staff.
• Each land trust has different land protection proprieties that guide their work so it is important to understand the different land trusts and their interests.
  
  

What roles can a land trust play?

• Facilitator of a conservation outcome: A land trust is aware of many landowners interested in conservation, and can often pull together different parties to facilitate a conservation outcome.
• Professional project coordination: Land trusts have tremendous experience facilitating, coordinating, negotiating, and completing transactions. Land trusts have strong relationships with their partner organizations, government agencies, and landowners and can serve as the coordinator of a project.
• Landowner education: Land trusts often meet with landowners to educate them about their conservation options, to answer questions, and to guide them through the decision-making process regarding the future of their land.
• Easement holder: Land trust hold conservation easements or executory interests (back-up).
• Land owner: Many land trusts are also willing to own land in fee simple.
  
  

What process does a land trust undertake in completing a project?

1. Meet the landowners and project partners to understand the project
2. Visit the land for a site walk
3. Evaluate the project based on its merits and against the trust’s mission, land protection criteria, and current workload
4. Discuss with the Committee or the Board to get preliminary support for the project
5. Negotiate terms of conservation easement/fee acquisition with landowner and partners
6. Complete due diligence, including title research and baseline documentation
7. Conduct a formal vote by the Board of Directors to authorize the acceptance of the land or conservation easement
8. Close on the project. The general timeframe for a conservation project is usually 6-12 months from start to finish.