How will Lemhi Regional Land Trust create tangible results?
By providing incentives and options for property owners to keep ranches intact, we can assist in keeping their land and lifestyle whole.
What are the options?
Our primary tool will be the use of donated or purchased conservation easements. A conservation easement is a private, voluntary agreement between the landowner and the land trust. The agreement limits a property’s use in order to protect its conservation values. The easement does not confer any right of access on the property to the public, and leaves ownership and control in the hands of the property owners. Tools like conservation easements can help preserve ranches by providing the landowners some level of economic stability while protecting critical fisheries and wildlife habitat from the impacts of development. Other options might include dovetailing certain properties with suitable federal funding sources like the Pacific Coastal Recovery Fund, and through other agriculturally based programs provided by the Farm Bill.
Are all conservation easements alike?
No. They are specifically tailored documents designed for individual landowners. Most conservation easements do have one common denominator: they protect the land from being subdivided.