Conservation Easement
Conservation easements can meet the needs of interested owners of working farms, ranches, timberlands, sporting properties and recreational lands, who wish to protect valuable natural resources while retaining ownership of the property. A perpetual conservation easement allows a landowner to protect key natural habitats of a property while continuing to use the area for economic gain or recreation.
Purpose
A conservation easement is a legal agreement that a land owner makes to restrict the type and amount of development that may take place on his or her property. The easement document is tailored to meet the needs and interests of the landowner. DU believes that most lands can benefit wildlife and still produce an economic return to its owner.
DU's program accepts easements in perpetuity through its affiliate Wetlands America Trust, as well as accompanying donations to cover associated costs such as the annual monitoring effort. DU agrees to monitor the property on a yearly basis to ensure the protection of its natural resources for years to come. Such protection will ensure that large acreages of wetlands, riparian habitats and important uplands will be preserved for the benefit of waterfowl, other wildlife and the enjoyment of future generations. This partnership between the landowner and DU also may result in the reduction of current income and estate taxes.
Conservation Easement News and Articles
Conservation Easements: Protecting Habitat, Water and our Waterfowling Heritage
Ducks Unlimited has not conserved a single acre of wetland habitat alone. Every detail of our work relies on a web of partners like you. From the foundation and corporate partners that pour financial resources into critical conservation priorities, to the individual who funds conservation work in their state or region, to the landowner who calls on us to restore wetlands on his property or to donate a conservation easement, Ducks Unlimited counts on solid alliances to facilitate our success in protecting land and waterfowl habitat.
Land protection through conservation easements is one of the many ways Ducks Unlimited works to conserve wildlife habitat. Today, through extensive mapping and
scientific data, we know that wetlands support millions of migrating birds, offer food sources and homes for more than 900 wildlife species, serve as the foundation for North
America’s clean water supply, and protect us from floods and storm surges while helping prevent erosion.
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New WAT Committee Focus
Since its inception, the goal of Wetlands America Trust has been to provide specialized financial and philanthropic support to Ducks Unlimited. WAT’s principal role is the fiduciary responsibility for Ducks Unlimited’s endowment and land holdings, including conservation easements. To date, WAT holds more than 400 easements encompassing nearly 358,000 acres and manages several endowment funds totaling approximately $21 million. Not only has WAT been successful with its primary charge, the 27 trustees have individually taken up the mantle to introduce Ducks Unlimited and our conservation programs to their friends, family and colleagues.
Under the volunteer leadership of President John Childs, the trustees are currently focused on three key activities: providing and securing philanthropic support, engaging in public policy, and strategic planning. Since the beginning of the Wetlands for Tomorrow campaign, WAT members have given or solicited more than $80 million to support DU’s highest priority landscape conservation programs. With the goal of bringing a more strategic approach to the Trust's fundraising efforts, President Childs recently appointed several trustees to serve on a Development Committee to undertake highly individualized and directed fundraising for DU. Led by Deke Welles, the eight-member committee is using the trustees’ vast personal and business networks to recruit new hunter-conservationists. (more)
Will Primos demonstrated a passion for wildlife from an early age. Childhood hunting trips with his father and uncles only intensified his innate interest in wildlife. In 1976, Will started Primos Hunting Calls as a hobby, and today Primos is a major brand in the outdoor industry, providing skillfully crafted calls as well as manufacturing some 450 hunting accessories for the hunting enthusiast. In 1986 Primos started the successful video series entitled The Truth and in 2000 launched two popular television shows, The Truth About Hunting and The Truth About Whitetails. (more)
Throughout history, North America’s rivers have been flyways for waterfowl and other migratory birds. Look at a national map plotted with the locations of where banded ducks have been harvested, and you will clearly see the outlines of the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, Susquehanna, Platte, Columbia, and other familiar waterways formed by dense clusters of band recovery reports. Rivers not only serve as landmarks that help guide waterfowl during their epic transcontinental migrations but also are directly linked to a variety of valuable wetlands in their adjacent floodplains and watersheds... (more)