Where are we protecting land this year? We are taking a watershed-scale approach to protecting our rivers. This will help communities in need by allowing larger contiguous ecosystems to regain functions and values and build climate resilience. First on the list are the upper Winooski and Lamoille basins in northern Vermont and Basin 11 in southern Vermont, where the West, Williams, Saxtons, and Connecticut Rivers flow. Our conservation and river corridor easements will work together in these regions to provide flood resiliency benefits across town or village lines.
Lamoille River |
Upper Winooski River |
West River |
Saxtons and Williams River |
| Elmore | Plainfield | Jamaica | Andover |
| Wolcott | Marshfield | Londonderry | Brattleboro |
| Hyde Park | Cabot | Marlboro | Chester |
| Johnson | Barre | Peru | Dummerston |
| Jericho | East Montpelier | Townshend | Guilford |
| Morrisville | North Montpelier | Wardsboro | Newfane |
| Cambridge | Calais | Weston | Putney |
| Eden | Woodbury | Windham | Rockingham |
| Walden | Worcester | Winhall | Westminster |
We may be completing more projects near you this year, or your land may be the perfect fit for our conservation program. Read below to learn more about the process of protecting your land.
There are a lot of land trusts out there. In Vermont, we’re the only land trust that’s focused specifically on rivers. Like other land trusts, we buy land and we hold easements. But because of our focus on rivers – from public access, to floodplain protections, to headwaters – we offer a few unique conservation solutions that may be just what you’re looking for.
Every conservation project looks different, but here’s a general roadmap. Along the way, you can reach out to us at any time:
The land trust toolbox can seem complicated, but it mostly comes down to this: “fee holdings” and “easements.”
This is the official legal term for something very simple: selling or buying land. If a landowner wants to sell their land and a land trust buys it, that’s a “fee holding.”
Landowners have certain rights for their land. What you can do of course depends on local ordinances and zoning, but in general landowners can build things like houses or barns, mow or farm right up to a riverbank, cut down trees, drive, and more. An easement is an agreement between a land trust and a landowner, where the landowner agrees to give up some of these options. For example, conservation easements often state that the landowner (now or any future landowner) won’t build new structures within the easement area, or that the landowner will allow riverside trees and shrubs to grow naturally.
Easements may cover an entire property. Or they may just cover a portion of the property. This depends on the landowner’s goals for their land.
A landowner can donate the easement and the easement value is considered a charitable donation, which usually has tax benefits. Or, the land trust can purchase the easement from the landowner.
Unique to Vermont River Conservancy, these easements allow people to continue owning and using their land, often for agriculture. Rather than a straight line on a map, these easements follow the river and landforms, creating a “buffer” of 50 or 100 feet (sometimes more) around the river. Within this easement, landowners agree to allow plants to grow within 50-feet of the river, which stabilizes banks and provides wildlife habitat. They also agree to allow the river to move naturally across the land. They won’t dig canals or force the river into a straight line, they won’t line the riverbank with “rip-rap” of tires or granite. They’ll allow the river to flood, and move, and change its course over time.
This is where Vermont River Conservancy got its start. Without the help of landowners, Vermont’s beloved swimming holes, fishing sites, and paddling trails could be cut off for future generations. While the specific details are up to the landowner, often a public access easement may just cover a small portion of land, ensuring that people will always be able to get to the river to experience the joy of splashing on a warm day, paddling downstream, or casting a line. Several of our public access easements are just for small paddlers' campsites, creating unique opportunities for people to experience a night under the stars after a long day on the river.
Most often used when Vermont River Conservancy (or another conservation partner) is buying the land, these easements help uphold the land’s public access and conservation values. They’re sometimes used for small ½-acre parcels to buy the land and ensure public access, or to protect wildlife and conservation values on lands that are hundreds or even thousands of acres.
The value of a conservation easements is basically a “before” and “after” appraisal scenario. First, what is the land’s market value before the conservation easement is in place? Then, what would the land’s market value be after an easement is in place? The difference between the two appraisals is considered the value of the conservation easement.
Easements may cover an entire property. Or they may just cover a portion of the property. This depends on the landowner’s goals for their land.
Donating land or easements is a great way to fulfill your vision for the future of your land. In most cases, donating land or an easement qualifies as a charitable contribution, which may help landowners get significant tax benefits that can help offset their gift.
When all is said and done, the landowner and the easement holder must always be different entities. Think of it like the separation of church and state. The separation increases accountability and helps uphold the conservation values.
Here’s an example: A landowner owns 2-acres on a river that’s a well known swimming hole. They’re ready to sell the land and want to make sure local kids can always enjoy this special place. A land trust buys the land (“in fee”) and puts a conservation easement on the land. The easement is the legal document that says the land will never be developed, and will always allow public access. The land trust can’t hold the land and the easement. In these instances, we might transfer the land to a local town to “own” the land, and we’ll hold the easement to follow-through on the easement responsibilities. Or maybe we’ll continue to own the land, but another organization will co-hold the easement with us. It’s a land trust system of checks and balances that ensures accountability and maximizes conservation.
In some cases, Vermont River Conservancy may be able to buy land or an easement. In these cases, the land must have outstanding community or natural benefits. The landowner may still provide a reduced price (for example, sell the land or easement for less than its appraised value) to get some tax benefits. In these cases, we rely on private donations, grants, and other financial support to make the project possible.
