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Permanent Land Protection
Deciding how to manage your property into the future requires forethought. An estate planner can help effectively manage your property from the beginning, and ensure that your taxes, contracts and plans for the future are complete and comprehensive. Involving your family in activities on the land and the decision making process can ensure they are as invested in the future of the property as you are. There are several options to consider when planning your legacy. Working with your estate planner or attorney and your forester can ensure you make the best decision for you, your family and your land. Click the following to learn more about what they are:
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Below are several options to consider when legacy planning, including programs associated with partnership with the Minnesota Land Trust and The Trust for Public Land to help you permanently protect your land. Funding is provided by the Outdoor Heritage Fund.
Is your land already protected with a scenic easement?
If you live along the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, chances are you may already have an easement on your property, specifically a scenic easement. A scenic easement according to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act means the “right to control the use of land (including air space above land) within authorized boundaries of a component of the wild and scenic river system, for the purpose of protecting the natural qualities of a designated wild, scenic, or recreational river area, but such control shall not affect, without the owner's consent, any regular use exercised prior to the acquisition of the easement.”
St. Croix Watershed Protection Program
​The Minnesota Land Trust, the Trust for Public Land, and Wild Rivers Conservancy are looking for willing landowners to participate in the St. Croix Watershed Protection Program, a conservation initiative to permanently protect high quality habitat in Minnesota.​
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Why Apply?
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Protect Minnesota’s important wildlife habitat, water quality, and beautiful open spaces.
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Receive tax incentives or other compensation for permanently protecting your property.
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Preserve your family’s legacy on the land.
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Join a community of dedicated landowners who steward over 70,000 acres of important Minnesota places.
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Receive a free habitat management plan, with the potential for financial and technical land management assistance.
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Application Requirements
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Be located within the St. Croix Watershed Protection Program area (see map).
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Be at least 40 acres in size
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Contain less than 10% cultivation
Option 1: Conservation Easements
A conservation easement is a voluntary, legal agreement between you and a local land trust or government agency that limits development on your land in order to protect its natural features. With an easement on your property, you will still have ownership over the land and retain the right to use and manage the land in line with the terms of the easement. Some easements can last several decades but most are permanent and will protect the land for future generations, even when sold to a different party. The party who owns the easement will visit periodically, generally on an annual basis, to monitor the land. Conservation easements can be tailored to your specifications depending on who you sell or donate your easement to. Donating can be beneficial since you could potentially claim a tax deduction.
Learn more about our conservation easement partnership with Minnesota Land Trust and use the button below to apply today. Easements will be funded in order of assigned priority, considering ecological value and payment per acre. If you have questions, please contact Alexis Monti at amonti@wildriversconservancy.org or (715) 483-3300 x 33 for more information.
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Option 2: Fee-title Acquisition​
The Trust for Public Land is looking for willing landowners who are interested in fee-title acquisition. Through this option, landowners donate or sell their land to the Trust for Public Land who will manage and restore the land until it is transferred to the county or a conservation agency. Land protected through fee-title acquisition is protected as a natural area and opened for public access for the community to enjoy in perpetuity.Unlike conservation easement programs, landowners no longer retain rights to the land after enrolling. Instead, landowners receive up to 100% of the appraised value of the land and the knowledge that the land will be protected for future generations to enjoy. Lands with high ecological value, adjacent to public lands and of larger acreage will be prioritized. Contact Alexis Monti at amonti@wildriversconservancy.org or (715) 483-3300 x 33 for more information.
Photo: Craig Blacklock