Protect and Preserve Your Land
Protecting your land, step by step.
Deciding to protect your land is a big decision. We help you think it through, work with your advisors on the details, and make it permanent.
Why conservation
Why landowners choose to protect their land.
Every landowner has their own reasons for wanting to protect the land.
Protecting land has broader value, too. It helps keep the air clean, softens the impact of extreme weather, and preserves wildlife habitat.
For many landowners, an easement or donation also comes with tax advantages. And with an easement, you keep ownership.
The process
From first conversation to permanent protection.
Every property is different, and we tailor each step to your situation.
Reach out
Send us your basic information: the location and size of your property, current land use, and the best way to reach you. We usually respond within two business days.
Site visit
After an initial conversation, someone visits your property to take photos and prepare a report for our review committee. You cover the cost of this report.
Committee review
Our review committee reviews the report and makes a recommendation. We share the decision with you. If conservation looks like a good fit, we recommend your own attorney and financial advisor review the proposal.
Decide and plan
Once you decide to move forward, we work with you to draft the conservation easement and set a timeline. The easement is permanent and stays with the property, even if you sell. We write it so you and your heirs can continue to live and work on the property.
Stewardship funding
NRC visits every protected property once a year. To help cover this long-term work, we ask for a one-time stewardship contribution.
Sign and record the easement
The easement is signed, notarized, and recorded at the county courthouse where the property is located. From this point forward, the protection is permanent.
Annual monitoring
Each year, we conduct an inspection to confirm the terms of the easement are being followed.
Ready to start the conversation?
How we work
What to expect when you work with NRC.
NRC is a land trust. We work with private landowners to permanently protect land with important natural or agricultural value: wildlife habitat, working farmland, and clean air and water. There are two ways to protect land through NRC.
Option 1
Conservation easement
A permanent agreement that protects your land while you continue to own and use it. It travels with the property if you sell.
Option 2
Land donation
You give the property outright to NRC. This is sometimes called a “fee simple” donation.
The Baseline Documentation Report
Before we accept either kind of gift, we conduct a Baseline Documentation Report on the property. This is a study that documents the property’s natural features and helps establish its conservation value. We share the results with you before any decision is made.
If the report shows the property has important or unique natural resources, we consider it for permanent protection. If it doesn’t, a conservation easement isn’t an option. In some cases, we may still accept a land donation, and the property is used to help fund conservation work on other properties.
We also request funding to cover the ongoing cost of monitoring and enforcement, and to prepare the easement deed and the Baseline Documentation Report. These are practical costs that make long-term stewardship possible.
Your own attorney and tax advisor should review any easement or donation documents.
Tax considerations
The tax side, in plain terms.
A conservation easement or land donation may qualify as a charitable gift for federal tax purposes. Whether it qualifies, and how much of a deduction is available, depends on the property and the gift.
A few things to know:
- To claim a deduction, the IRS must consider your donation a charitable gift. Your attorney or tax advisor can confirm whether your situation qualifies.
- For a conservation easement gift valued over $5,000, the donor reports the value on IRS Form 8283 (Noncash Charitable Contributions) and files it with the federal income tax return.
- The IRS requires a “qualified appraisal” by a “qualified appraiser,” which NRC does not prepare or certify.
- The IRS can review or challenge parts of the documentation. That’s why your tax advisor should look everything over before you file.
Frequently asked
Questions landowners commonly ask.
How long does the full process take?
Every property is different. We share a clearer timeline after the site visit.
Do I have to pay for anything?
You cover the cost of this report during the site visit, and a one-time stewardship contribution when the easement is finalized. NRC also requests funding to prepare the easement documents and the Baseline Documentation Report. Your own attorney and tax advisor fees are separate.
Can I still use my land after an easement is in place?
Yes. A conservation easement limits certain uses, but you keep ownership and can continue to live and work on the property. We write each easement to fit how the property is used.
What happens if I sell the land?
The easement stays with the property, even if you sell. NRC continues its annual monitoring.
Do I always get a tax deduction?
Not always. Whether you qualify depends on the property, the type of gift, and current IRS rules. Your tax advisor is the right person to confirm.
Do I need my own attorney?
We strongly recommend it. Your attorney and tax advisor represent your interests when reviewing our proposal.
What kinds of land does NRC protect?
We work with landowners on properties that have significant natural or agricultural value. The Baseline Documentation Report is how we determine whether a specific property is a fit.
Do you work in every state?
We currently hold easements in 15 states and are always open to conversations surrounding expansion.
Get in touch
Ready to protect your land?
We work with landowners across the U.S. on permanent land protection. Send us a note or give us a call.