Under certain circumstances, conservation easements may be purchased on particular properties. Easement purchases depend on available public and private funding programs and the characteristics of the property in question. For example, in Maryland, productive farmland over 100 acres in size and with qualifying soils may be eligible to sell agricultural easements to the State or County under the Agricultural Land Preservation Program. Similarly, large contiguous blocks of rural land with unique characteristics have become eligible to sell easements to sponsors of the state-funded Rural Legacy Program. Most properties do not qualify for funded programs, and even those that do are limited by funds available for the public purchase of easements.
Land trusts are often all or almost-all volunteer organizations with limited budgets and resources.
A land trust can evaluate your property for its eligibility for land protection programs. Some of this information is from material published by Maryland Environmental Trust. You should note that the tax benefits that are listed apply differently if your easement has been donated, sold at a bargain price, or sold at full market value. Please consult a knowledgeable tax accountant or attorney for full details of how these potential benefits apply in your specific circumstances.