March 28, 2008...7:29 am
Wildlife Land Trust
I only own 5 acres but I think it is one of the most beautiful places ever. It’s not worth a lot, money-wise, but we have deer and an endless variety of birds and wild irises and mushrooms and exotic-looking wildflowers and we even saw a mom and baby bear once. Streams run on both sides of our property and timber companies own the land behind us and across the street from us. I worry about this little slice of heaven someday being destroyed.
I heard about the Wildlife Land Trust (http://www.wlt.org/index.asp) and it seemed like the perfect solution. There are different options for donating your land to the trust. You can retain ownership of your land but provide a wildlife easement, you can donate the property outright and you can even donate the land but live on it until you die. The site offers a lot of information about legalities and tax benefits. I actually filled out a form online to see if my land was appropriate. I admit I never got a response, which was discouraging, but I still think it’s a worthwhile idea to explore, perhaps if not through this particular organization (The Humane Society of the United States) then through another one, like Nature Conservancy.
1 Comment
April 2, 2008 at 7:13 am
Dear Writer,
What a beautiful picture of your property in winter! It does indeed look like a slice of heaven.
I’m sorry to hear that you received no response to your application with the Wildlife Land Trust. Our aim is to review and respond to land easement applications in a timely manner. Can you tell me when you filled out the online form? And your name and location? I will look for the form and respond to you personally, but I also want the information to look into why you didn’t get the reply promptly.
Please write back to my direct email address. I apologize again for our lapse, and I appreciate the opportunity to correct it.
Sincerely,
Terrie McNulty
Executive Assistant
Wildlife Land Trust
Saving Lives by Saving Land
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