Landowner Guides

A Conservation Easement Guide for Landowners

Organizations/Sources: La Plata Open Space Conservancy
The Conservancy’s most common method of land protection is the conservation easement, where alandowner gives up (donates or sells) certain property rights to the land trust in order to protect specific resources. All of LPOSC’s conservation easements have been donated, and most haveresulted in significant tax benefits for the donors.
Last Modified
Oct 17, 2009
Viewed
3614 times

A Guide to the Tax Benefits of Donating a Conservation Easement

Organizations/Sources: Jackson Hole Land Trust
An introduction to the tax benefits associated with conservation easements
Last Modified
Apr 13, 2011
Viewed
3304 times

A Landowner's Guide: Conservation Easements for Natural Resource Protection

This is one of a series of resource papers on proactive strategies for a healthy environment published by the Georgia Environmental Policy Institute and the Georgia Land Trust Service Center. Funding for the first edition of this resource paper was provided by the Lyndhurst Foundation, the Broad River Action Group, the Georgia Civil Justice Foundation, the World Wildlife Fund and the Sonoran Institute. Funding for the second edition was provided by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Last Modified
Feb 21, 2014
Viewed
4714 times

A Tax Guide to Conservation Easements

2008
This is a comprehensive book on the tax benefits of the charitable contribution, or bargain sale, of a conservation easement. It provides a detailed explanation of the complex and extensive requirements of the federal tax code and related concepts, including the rules governing the operation of tax-exempt organizations such as land trusts.
Last Modified
Oct 27, 2015
Viewed
5014 times

Backyard Conservation: Bringing Conservation From the Countryside to Your Backyard

2007
Whether you have rural acreage, a suburban yard, or a city lot, you can help protect the environment and add beauty and interest to your surroundings. “Backyard Conservation" shows how conservation practices that help conserve and improve natural resources on agricultural land across the country can be adapted for use around the home. Most backyard conservation practices are easy to use and these 10 conservation practices help the environment and can make your yard more attractive and enjoyable.
Last Modified
Aug 15, 2011
Viewed
5186 times

Beyond the Suburbs

Authors: Kathleen Preece
A Landowners Guide to Conservation Management - The purpose of this guidebook is to give you—the private landholders of Minnesota—a tool for a better understanding of conservation management.
Last Modified
Oct 17, 2009
Viewed
3753 times

Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants (Updated and Expanded)

2007
In simple terms, this book connects the dots and makes it clear that increasing native insect biomass with native plants is the glue that holds together the web of life in the homemade habitat. Available at most book retail sources.
Last Modified
Oct 20, 2009
Viewed
4403 times

Charitable (or Bargain) Sales for Conservation

2000
Short guide for landowners that explains the advantages of bargain sales and offers information about tax benefits and documentation.
Last Modified
Jun 22, 2018
Viewed
1689 times

Conservation Easement Guidelines: What Every Colorado Landowner Should Know

This reference guide was written for landowners who are either considering a conservation easement, or who would like to know more about the conservation easement process. This document neither provides nor replaces legal advice, does share experience with land protection at a national and a state-wide level and includes a summary of many conservation easement studies that specifically focus on landowner perspectives about land protection.
Last Modified
Feb 21, 2014
Viewed
3821 times

Conservation Easements: An Introduction for Private Landowners

2018
Authors: Andrew M. Loza
A conservation easement limits certain uses of the land in order to advance one or more conservation objectives while keeping the land in the owner’s control. It is established by mutual agreement of a landowner and a private land trust or government. (WeConservePA guide; 5 pages)
Last Modified
Jul 01, 2021
Viewed
6113 times

Conservation Options: A Landowner's Guide

2003
Organizations/Sources: Land Trust Alliance
Guide outlines various conservation options for landowners, including conservation easements, donating land, and more.
Last Modified
Jun 22, 2018
Viewed
2243 times

Environmentally Friendly Lawn

2007
Organizations/Sources: Natural Lands Trust
fact sheet on environmentally friendly lawn
Last Modified
Aug 21, 2018
Viewed
4727 times

Farmland Preservation Options for Landowners: Government and Private Approaches to Conservation Easements in Pennsylvania

2023
Authors: Andrew M. Loza
Fifty-eight Pennsylvania counties have agricultural land preservation boards that purchase agricultural conservation easements. Sixty-eight private, charitable land trusts accept donations of conservation easements or, less commonly, purchase them. These two paths to farmland preservation differ in many ways. WeConservePA guide. 4 pages.
Last Modified
Jan 31, 2023
Viewed
4273 times

Forestry in Action: Sustainable Forest Management, Private Forest Landowner Objectives

2009
Authors: James C. Finley
Two PowerPoint presentations talking about Sustainable Forest Management and Private Forest Landowner Objectives
Last Modified
Aug 21, 2018
Viewed
5040 times

From Lawn to Meadow: Protect Water, Provide Habitat, Save Money

2017
Authors: Nate Lotze and Andrew M. Loza
Converting areas covered by turf grass to meadows can be financially rewarding and relatively simple on both public and private land. It can also deliver substantial environmental and aesthetic benefits. WeConservePA guide. 5 pages.
Last Modified
Oct 06, 2022
Viewed
4356 times

Funding Conservation Easement Stewardship: Your Role as the Land's Owner and Conservation Champion

2022
Authors: Andrew M. Loza
In accepting a conservation easement from you, the land trust takes on the responsibility of ensuring that the land is conserved as you have agreed for all time. Fulfilling this duty requires financial resources most likely to come from you or subsequent owners of the land. WeConservePA guide. 2 pages.
Last Modified
Oct 12, 2023
Viewed
1243 times

Green Guide for Property Management

This publication is a guide to aid large property owners with innovative green projects to reduce stormwater pollution. It contains stormwater management practices and site examples.
Last Modified
Aug 20, 2018
Viewed
3540 times

Land Conservation Strategies: A Guide for Landowners

Organizations/Sources: Heritage Conservancy
An overview of options landowners have to protect their land, the potential financial benefits of doing so, how protecting land will impact the community and the landowners children, and the tax implications of land protection.
Last Modified
May 03, 2011
Viewed
5150 times

Landowner Guide to Buffer Success

Organizations/Sources: Chesapeake Bay Foundation
The purpose of this guide is to to assist landowners in developing a forest buffer that will provide benefits to the landowner, wildlife, stream and the environment as a whole.
Last Modified
Oct 17, 2009
Viewed
4321 times

Landowner Resources for Pipeline Easements and Rights of Way

2015
Organizations/Sources: Chester County Planning Commission
Detailed guide explains the ins and outs of pipeline easements and helps landowners navigate the process of dealing with a pipeline proposed for their property.
Last Modified
Mar 13, 2019
Viewed
1428 times

Landowner's Guide to Wildlife Control & Prevention Laws in Pennsylvania

Organizations/Sources: Penn State University
This publication provides basic information for PA landowners regarding their rights to control nuisance wildlife.
Last Modified
Oct 16, 2009
Viewed
4021 times

Landscaping with Native Plants in the Mid-Atlantic Region, 2nd edition

2004
Organizations/Sources: Brandywine Conservancy
Manual for gardening with native plants for the Middle-Atlantic region.
Last Modified
Aug 15, 2011
Viewed
5036 times

LTA Fact Sheet - Conservation Easement vs. Deed Restriction

Organizations/Sources: Land Trust Alliance
This document is one of a series of fact sheets and reference materials produced by the Land Trust Alliance. Please contact us for additional information or to order materials.
Last Modified
Oct 18, 2009
Viewed
10062 times

Managing Deer for Ecosystem Health Fact Sheet

2010
Organizations/Sources: Audubon Pennsylvania
Two-page deer management guide for landowners including information on predator-prey balance and tools and options available to private landholders.
Last Modified
Apr 12, 2011
Viewed
4005 times

More Wildlife on Your Land: A Guide for Private Landowners

2002
Authors: Neil F. Payne
This handy book is full of great information geared to landowners with large acreage and/or working land (agricultural or ranch) who would like to provide for and protect wildlife.
Last Modified
Mar 23, 2011
Viewed
3773 times

Noah’s Garden: Restoring the Ecology of our Own Backyards

1993
Authors: Sara B. Stein
A beautifully written examination of why restoring habitat on our properties is so important and how it can replace traditional landscaping practices which create a disconnect. If nothing else, read the first 100 pages and you will have a new perspective on your yard. Available on retail book websites, some retail book locations, and at some nature centers.
Last Modified
Oct 14, 2009
Viewed
3458 times

Pennsylvania Water Quality: Your Private Well: What do the results mean? (2nd edition)

2012
Organizations/Sources: B.F. Environmental Consultants, Inc.
The booklet informs citizens on issues related to water conservation, ensuring that private water supply systems produce safe drinking water for your family, protecting the long-term quality of our streams and drinking water sources, and helping you to understand the potential sources of pollution to our water resources. The booklet provides general information explaining certified water testing, chain-of-custody, and drinking water regulations and standards. It provides information related to the health (primary standards) or aesthetic (secondary standards) concerns for each parameter and provides information on water quality parameters that do not specifically have a drinking water limit. This reference is intended as a guide to understand water quality by providing guidance on selecting water quality testing parameters for baseline testing from a citizen's perspective and by serving as a tool to help interpret water quality data. In some cases, this document provides guidance on what actions you may want to consider. The booklet can be accessed at http://www.slideshare.net/interpro63/pennsylvania-private-well-owners-manual or http://www.private-well-owner.org.
Last Modified
Nov 13, 2013
Viewed
3138 times

Planning for Grassland Birds Fact Sheet

2010
Organizations/Sources: Audubon Pennsylvania
Two-page fact sheet for landowners, planners, and others to maintain grassland birds, which have declined in recent years. Information covers causes of decline, importance of agricultural lands, amount of land needed for nesting, and what landowners and planners can do to help.
Last Modified
Apr 12, 2011
Viewed
4275 times

Planting Noah’s Garden: Further Adventures in Backyard Ecology

1997
Authors: Sara B. Stein
The follow-up to Noah’s Garden, the how-to’s on welcoming life back into the yard. Available on retail book websites, some retail book locations, and at some nature centers.
Last Modified
Oct 14, 2009
Viewed
4063 times

Protecting Against Woolly Hemlock Adelgid Fact Sheet

2011
Authors: Kim Vanfleet
Two-page fact sheet on this aphid-like creature that feeds on hemlock trees. Information includes a description of the pest, its life history, and what landowners can do to help control and eliminate the woolly hemlock adelgid.
Last Modified
Apr 12, 2011
Viewed
4078 times

Reducing Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax

2024
In Pennsylvania, death triggers a state inheritance tax on the distribution of the deceased person’s assets (the “estate”) to the beneficiaries of the estate. Conservation restrictions in support of agriculture on land included in the estate can reduce the inheritance tax owed. WeConservePA guide. 4 pages.
Last Modified
Jan 12, 2024
Viewed
6740 times

Sustainable Forestry Fact Sheet

2011
Authors: Kim Vanfleet
Organizations/Sources: Audubon Pennsylvania
Two-page fact sheet about sustainable forestry for the benefit of birds and other wildlife. Information covers selective cutting, stewardship practices, composition of forest for nesting birds and forest health, and implementation tips.
Last Modified
Apr 12, 2011
Viewed
4109 times

Taking Control of Your Land: A Land Stewardship Guidebook for Landowners

2005
Organizations/Sources: Chester County Planning Commission
At times, it may seem like landowners have no choice but to surrender to the sprawling development engulfing many rural areas, but this simply is not true. This guide highlights the numerous options that are available for either protecting large properties from development, or developing them in a way that is sensitive to and compatible with the landscape.
Last Modified
Jun 24, 2019
Viewed
1403 times

The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher

1999
Organizations/Sources: Audubon Society
The definitive guide to attracting birds includes plant profiles (across five regions of U.S.), bird diets, and planting recommendations.
Last Modified
Jul 18, 2012
Viewed
3532 times

The Audubon Society Guide to Attracting Birds: Creating Natural Habitats for Properties Large and Small, Second Edition

2006
Authors: Stephen Kress
Organizations/Sources: Audubon Society
In a book long awaited by landscapers, birders, gardeners, and naturalists, Stephen W. Kress provides a practical, comprehensive, and thoroughly illustrated guide to attracting birds to any property, be it a small patch of land in the city or a showplace countryside garden, a median strip or an expansive woodlot, a commercial building or a community park.
Last Modified
Aug 15, 2011
Viewed
4046 times

The Woods in Your Backyard: Learning to Create and Enhance Natural Areas Around Your Home

2006
A publication of the Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service of the Cooperative Extension, Ithaca, NY. An excellent spiral bound workbook with reader-friendly information on land management, worksheets, and checklists including breakdown of trees and their relative wildlife value. Available here: http://www.nraes.org/
Last Modified
Oct 14, 2009
Viewed
4110 times

Using a Deed Restriction to Protect Land: A Path for When Neither a Land Trust Nor Government Can Help

2021
A family or group of neighbors may want to limit future use of a property, but that desire may not be shared as a priority by conservation organizations or government. In this case, a deed restriction may a sensible—albeit imperfect—tool that the private individuals can use on their own to achieve limited protection of the land. A 2-page guide.
Last Modified
Jun 15, 2021
Viewed
2172 times

Water Quality, Your Private Well: What Do The Results Mean

Organizations/Sources: Wilkes University
This publication gives information for landowners on how to understand the results of tests of their drinking water.
Last Modified
Jan 31, 2011
Viewed
4171 times

Weed Control Methods Handbook: Tools and Techniques for Use in Natural Areas

2001
Organizations/Sources: The Nature Conservancy
This handbook provides you with detailed information about the tools and techniques available for controlling invasive plants, or weeds, in natural areas. Whenever possible, language familiar to natural area managers is used, and unfamiliar terms and jargon borrowed from other fields are defined.
Last Modified
Mar 25, 2011
Viewed
7240 times

Working Forest Conservation Easements: A Primer for Landowners

Organizations/Sources: Maryland Cooperative Extension
If forest landowners want to ensure that their forest stewardship efforts extend beyond their tenure and are available for future generations to use and cherish, they must act responsibly and take charge of the direction and long-term future of their land. The question is how to assure that their property is managed responsibly? There are a variety of estate planning tools available to accomplish this task. A Working Forest Conservation Easement (WFCE) may be the answer.
Last Modified
Apr 13, 2011
Viewed
4192 times

Your Land, Your Legacy: Planning for Every Pennsylvania Landowner

2017
Authors: John Laird, PLS
Making decisions about the future of your land may seem overwhelming. It can be difficult to initiate conversations with your family, to sort out the different professionals involved in estate planning, and to know how to take the first step. This publication can help you get started, and discusses the types of professionals who will help make it happen. - A publication of the University of Massechusets, Amherst, 2017
Last Modified
Sep 08, 2017
Viewed
2148 times