Managing Conservation Easements in Perpetuity - Environmental ...

C A S E S T U D Y
Guidance
Vermont Land Trust personnel did everything correctly in a complex situation.
They:
• Remained diplomatic, calm and polite
• Responded immediately and reasonably to the situation
• Met with legal counsel immediately so that counsel could assist from the
very first response
• Had sufficient staff capacity and funding so that they could focus on the
problem rather than worry about the cost
• Documented and researched the situation thoroughly and devised a course
of action consistent with their mission, their stewardship philosophy, the
conservation easement purposes, original grantor intent and their established
violation policy and procedures
• Conducted multiple site visits by appropriate experts to determine resource
values and obtained expert advice on the effect of the violations
• Communicated their decision clearly in person and in writing and in detail
• Had a practice of annual visits — and even multiple visits annually — to
easement-protected land
• Had a plan and a strategy, backed up by legal research and experts, which it
implemented effectively
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Managing Conservation Easements in Perpetuity