How
The Katy Land Trust protects land primarily through conservation agreements (often referred to as conservation easements). Conservation easements allow landowners to continue to enjoy their private property while agreeing not to develop their land or otherwise harm the value of the protected area. Conservation agreements are an attractive option to a growing number of landowners across the country for a number of reasons:
- Conservation agreements are flexible. Protected land can still often be used in a variety of ways. For example, farmland protected by a conservation agreement can still be used for farming. Structures and building sites are often accommodated while still preserving the rest of the land.
- Conservation agreements are private. Protected private land is still yours to be bought, sold, inherited, and privately enjoyed. Land protected with a conservation agreement does not allow public access.
- Conservation agreements have tax benefits. Protecting your land can have a direct impact on your income tax and/or estate taxes.
- Conservation agreements, and the land trusts behind them, are permanent. A conservation agreement is binding forever, meaning it runs with the land, no matter who owns it. Once an agreement is signed, the Katy Land Trust takes on the responsibility to ensure that the terms of the agreement are being followed.
As an alternative, some landowners decide to donate their land to the Land Trust outright for use as a publicly accessible nature preserve. This approach, in which the Land Trust owns and operates the land, can have tax benefits as well. To learn more about how conservation agreements work, and if a conservation agreement may be right for you and your family, contact us. The Katy Land Trust's professional staff can help guide you through the process, starting with our flexible template agreement and customizing it to meet your needs.