About Land Conservation

Click here for Printable Version of this page
Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader

Individuals, businesses, and communities interested in conserving land have a number of options to choose from; the one used most often by TRLC is the conservation easement. These voluntary agreements are legally binding and based on landowner goals and objectives for permanently protecting their land. Conservation easements preserve open space, farms, woodlands, and natural areas by restricting development and other activities that may degrade these features.

TRLC works directly with landowners to define mutually agreed upon conservation goals for the property and then incorporates this vision into an easement. Once agreed to, the easement is recorded as a permanent addition to the existing deed and any subsequent deeds that convey the property to new owners. For each property, TRLC requests a stewardship endowment to ensure the terms of the easement are maintained in perpetuity.

Landowners contemplating protection of their property should consider not only the land’s conservation value and their desires for the future of the property, but also their family’s financial situation, the steps involved in a project, and the upfront costs and potential tax benefits of placing an easement on their land.

If you have questions, or wish to discuss your property with a member of the Tar River Land Conservancy staff, please call us by phone at 919-496-5902 or send an e-mail to info@tarriver.org