Distinctly Montana Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.distinctlymontana.com/i/570217
D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A s FA L L 2 0 1 5 62 62 BY ROBYN ERLENBUSH MONTANA REAL ESTATE Conservation easements are considered an integral part of the big picture. But what exactly are they? An interview with Penelope Pierce, Executive Director of the Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT), sheds light upon the topic. First, a good definition provided by GVLT literature is that a conservation easement is a legal agreement that ensures that the protected re- sources on your property will never be destroyed or developed. It can be used to permanently conserve working farms and ranches; wildlife habitat and corridors; river and creeks; open space and scenic values; and prime soils. An important point that Penelope touched on is the fact that when a landowner establishes a conservation easement, they still retain ownership of the property. It can be used to farm, ranch, recreate, etc. as long as the activities sustain the land's resources. e land can still be sold or passed along to heirs. However, the conservation easement transfers with the land in perpetuity. Further, an easement can be created to protect the property as a whole, a portion of it, or even just some of the key resources present. ere are 11 organizations across the state, including GVLT, Prickly Pear Land Trust in Helena, and Five Valley's Land Trust in Missoula, which in place to assist with creating the easement and making sure that the original intent is fol- lowed in the future. Why? e rationale of developing a conservation easement is important not only for preservation and protection of property but also for tax benefits. Since 1976, private landowners have appreci- T HOUGH MANY PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW IT EVEN OCCURRED, A VERY SIGNIFICANT OCCASION JUST HAPPENED IN JULY BY THE NAME OF MONTANA OPEN LAND MONTH. Festivals, walks, bike tours, films, workdays, and more sprinkled the event calendar throughout our state as people celebrated the beauty we call Montana. Our special home deserves recognition for the natural brilliance we enjoy daily which also provides a boon to our state's overall economy. THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND OPEN SPACES MONTANANS ARE SO LUCKY TO LIVE IN A STATE WHERE PEOPLE RESPECT AND PROTECT OUR OPEN SPACE AND UNOBSTRUCTED VIEWS FOR ALL TO ENJOY. The Crawford Conservation Easement on the East Gallatin River photography by RAB CUMMINGS