Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.

- Aldo Leopold

 

Conservation is the protection or restoration of something from loss, damage or neglect. The conservation of land helps to keep property in a natural state through proper management, which not only saves our limited resources but also helps to protect the health and quality of our waterways, air, soils, food resources, and way of life!

 

Landowners choose to conserve their lands for a variety of reasons. Some love their forests, some love their birds and other wildlife, some love to hunt or fish, and some want to protect the sites of cherished family memories. If you are considering conserving your land, whatever your reason, we can help you determine which conservation option may be right for you and your property!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of those options are: 

 

• Voluntary Handshake Registry: Pledge to carefully steward your land to protect its habitats and ecology while you own it and notify the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy should you desire or need to sell your land. You pledge to notify us before doing so with the intent that we have an opportunity to work with you to conserve all or part of it before it is sold to another party.

• Bequest: Leave a designated part or all of your property to us through your will.

• Conservation Easement: Protect all or just a part of your property in perpetuity with a deed monitored by Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy. You continue to own the property and agree to only use it in ways that don’t negatively impact the ecology, waterways, fish and wildlife, or scenic beauty of the property. Hunting, camping, sustainable forestry, and farming are some of the uses allowed under a conservation easement.

• Donation of Land: Donate property by transferring ownership to us for conservation or for resale to support our organization’s conservation activities. 

• Bargain Sale: Negotiate a partial donation of the value of your land as part of a sale below appraised fair market value to meet your conservation intent.

• Sale: Sell your property to us at a negotiated price no higher than at appraised fair market value.

• Retained Life Estate: Donate your land to us but retain use of your property for the remainder of your lifetime.

 

If you’re interested in taking the next step, reach out to us at 716-664-2166 or info@chautauquawatershed.org. We'd love to learn more about your property and explore these options with you!