Are conservation easements for you? What to know before you committ

Conservation easements serve as tool to enable landowners to control property use and generate tax benefits. The scheme involves granting of part of one's property rights to be held by another, generally a government or nonprofit conservation agency. The decision to apply one should depend on the landowners' land management goals, financial goals, and effects on posterity. Other, less permanent and restrictive alternatives are available to meet many of the same goals. These include special estate tax provisions, insurance, business structures, and deed restrictions.