Preserve
You've put in the effort to assess and manage your land. Now let us help preserve it.
Preservation might be right for you if any of the following apply:
- You want to preserve the tremendous effort you've put into the land, whether a farm or natural area
- You want to ensure the land remains for future generations and/or wildlife
- You'd like to retain ownership, sell, or donate your land
- You're interested in organizations that could assist financially and/or manage the land in perpetuity
Legacy Land Conservancy
Susan LaCroix,
Land Protection Director
slacroix@legacylandconservancy.org
- Non-profit, private, accredited land trust serving Washtenaw, Jackson, and Lenawee Counties
- Accepts donations of unique natural areas to become public nature preserves
- Purchases conservation easements on private property where the landowner retains ownership, but development is restricted. Both farmland and natural area are eligible.
- If interested in donating all or a portion of the conservation easement, that is Legacy’s specialty!
- No application, contact staff
Natural Areas Preservation Program (NAPP)
Ginny Leikam,
Planning/NAPP Superintendent
leikamg@washtenaw.org
WCPARC manages the Natural Areas Preservation Program (NAPP), which:
- Purchases unique natural areas to become public nature preserves
- Purchases conservation easements where the landowner retains ownership, but development is restricted. Both farmland and natural area are eligible.
- Application available online or in-person
NAPP aims to preserve lands which:
- Protect the ecological diversity & heritage of the County
- Complement the existing network of protected lands
- Remain working farms, particularly those in prime/unique soils
- Preserve wildlife habitat or important natural habitats
- Maximize the public benefit
Ann Arbor Greenbelt
Rosie Pahl Donaldson,
Land Acquisition Supervisor
rpahldonaldson@a2gov.org
- Serves area surrounding Ann Arbor: parts of Ann Arbor, Lodi, Northfield, Pittsfield, Salem, Scio, Superior, and Webster Townships.
- Purchases conservation easements on private property where the landowner retains ownership, but development is restricted. Both farmland and natural area are eligible.
- Application available online or in-person.
MI FarmLink
Jill Dohner,
MIFarmLink Coordinator
jill@washtenawcd.org
MIFarmLink aims to:
- Help shepherd prime farmland from its current stewards into the hands of the next generation by listing and linking land.
- Assists with succession planning.
- Connects new farmers with mentors.
Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy
Jill Lewis, Executive Director
jlewis@smlcland.org
734-484-6565
- Accredited land trust
- Qualified, non-profit conservation organization dedicated to conserving and managing wildlife habitat in order to foster healthy ecosystems, protect air and water quality, and provide scenic enjoyment
- Service area covers Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw, and Wayne
- Protects land in 3 ways:
- own land- usually through donations (property or financial) to the organization
- work with landowners to create conservation easements to protect privately owned property
- assist local government agencies with their land protection projects
Still not sure which organization to contact?
Take the quiz to find out which one might best suit your needs or check out additional resources below!
Other Preservation Options:
Prefer a book style PDF?
COMING SOON: You can find this information and more in the "Huron River Watershed Forest Landowner's Toolkit".
Duck's Unlimited
- 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 monitors the property on a yearly basis
- May result in the reduction of current income and estate taxes
The Nature Conservancy
MICHIGAN
101 E. Cesar E. Chavez Avenue
Lansing, MI 48906
Phone: 517-316-0300
Email: michigan@tnc.org
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) accepts two types of land:
- natural areas that become preserves, and
- trade lands (lands not meeting our conservation criteria, that are given to us with permission from the donors to sell them to acquire other conservation properties).
For information about selling or donating a natural area, please contact the local office in the state where the property is located. For information about donating trade lands, please call the Worldwide Office toll-free at (877) 812-3698.
In addition to outright donation and protection, there are many options for landowners who want to work with The Nature Conservancy. We recommend you speak with the Conservancy office in your state.
MDARD's Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program (PA 116)
Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program
Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
Environmental Stewardship Division
P.O. Box 30449
Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: 517-284-5663
Fax: 517-335-3131
Email: MDARD-PA116@Michigan.gov
MDARD's Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program consists of the following methods:
- Temporary Restrictions:
- Farmland Development Rights Agreements: Landowner works with State to preserve land for agriculture in exchange for certain tax benefits and exemptions for various special assessments.
- Designated Open Space Easement: Landowner works with State to preserve specially designated land as open space in exchange for certain tax benefits and exemptions for various special assessments.
- Local Open Space Easement: Landowner works with local government to preserve land as open space in exchange for certain tax benefits and exemptions for various special assessments.
- Permanent Restrictions:
- Conservation Easement Donations: Landowner works with State to preserve land for either open space or agriculture.
- Purchase of Development Rights: Landowner works with State to preserve land for agriculture in exchange for a cash payment for those rights.
- For Local Units of Government:
- Agricultural Preservation Fund: A fund established to assist local units of government in implementing a local purchase of development rights program.
NRCS' Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service offers:
- The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) which provides financial and technical assistance to help conserve agricultural lands and wetlands.
MDNR Michigan Department of Natural Resources
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural and cultural resources for current and future generations.
Municipal Level Land Preservation Programs in Washtenaw County
For questions regarding Ann Arbor Charter, Dexter, Northfield, Scio, or Webster Townships, contact:
Barry Lonik, Program Consultant
BLonik13@aol.com
Ann Arbor Charter Township
Farmland & Open Space Preservation Board
- Purchases conservation easements where the landowner retains ownership, but development is restricted. Both farmland and natural areas are eligible.
- Application available online or in-person
- 0.7-mill for 20 years; passed in 2003 with 77% support to generate $6M for farmland preservation
Augusta Charter Township
City of Ann Arbor
OPEN SPACE AND PARKLAND PRESERVATION MILLAGE (Ann Arbor Greenbelt)
- 0.5 mill for 30 years; passed with 67% support to generate $60M; 2/3 to be spent outside the City!
Dexter Township
Farmland & Open Space Preservation Board
- Purchases conservation easements where the landowner retains ownership, but development is restricted. Both farmland and natural areas are eligible.
- Application available online or in-person
- 0.5 mill for 10 years; passed in 2022 with 63% support and generated $230,000 in first year
Northfield Township
- Purchases conservation easements where the landowner retains ownership, but development is restricted. Farmland and associated natural areas are eligible.
- Application available online or in-person
- 0.6 mil for 5 years; passed in 2022 with 54% support and estimated to generate $250,000 per year
Scio Township
- Purchases unique natural areas to become public nature preserves
- Purchases conservation easements where the landowner retains ownership, but development is restricted. Both farmland and natural areas are eligible.
- Application available online or in-person
- 0.5 mill for ten years renewed in 2022 with 68%, generates about $700,000 per year
Webster Township
Farmland & Open Space Preservation Board
- Purchases conservation easements where the landowner retains ownership, but development is restricted. Both farmland and natural areas are eligible.
- Application available online or in-person
- 0.5 mill for 5 years; passed in 2014 with 73% support, generates about $240,000 per year