One way to permanently protect land is to donate or sell it to a conservation organization or agency that will care for the land in the future. This option relieves you of the tax burdens and management responsibility of owning land. Choosing the conservation organization or government agency that will own your land is an important consideration in this decision making process, as management priorities and objectives may vary from organization to organization. It may be possible to sell your land to a conservation entity if there are significant ecological, aesthetic, or cultural features on your land and the buyer can raise sufficient funds. Another option is a “bargain sale” where the land is sold to a conservation organization at a reduced price.
Excerpted from Your Land, Your Choices by the Highland Communities Initiative. A PDF of this publication can be accessed through this link: Your Land, Your Choices