02-174-CLC News Fall 2002 - Columbia Land Conservancy

Land Protection with Conservation Easements
6
Tom Crowell
Fall 2002
Mai Protects Additional
Agricultural Land and Wetland System
The property’s open fields
and wetlands will now be
protected from incompatible
development. In addition, they
help to buffer neighboring
lands that contain three New
York State designated wetlands—one
of which has been
used by Great Blue Herons as
a nesting area.
Two potential building envelopes
were selected, one around
the existing carriage house and
the other in the corner of a
field, away from wetlands.
CLC’s Tradeland Program
Benefits Donors, Protects Additional Land
• Generally speaking, tradelands are properties that are
donated to the Conservancy to further its conservation
work. These properties may or may not have significant
conservation characteristics.
• Properties as small as 10 acres, as well as sites including
more than 100 acres, have generously been donated to the
CONSERVANCY NEWS
Vincent Mai is yet another example of how people can leave a conservation legacy. Mr. Mai has now protected
a total of 1,096 acres of farmland in Kinderhook and Ghent. His most recent conservation easement covers 116
acres on Mile Hill Road (County Route 21) and adds to 980 acres he already protected at his Kinderhook Farm.
The generosity of those who have donated land to CLC for resale
has allowed us to protect hundreds of acres of open space, forestlands,
and critical wildlife habitat.
A total of 1,096 acres of farmland in Kinderhook and Ghent
has now been protected by Vincent Mai.
Tom Crowell
“Columbia County’s rural
landscapes and working farmland
are important to me,”
reflected Mr. Mai. “CLC
helped me to balance development
and open space. We
located future development
on the property in a way that
would minimize its impact on
the wetlands and maximize
the protection of the pastoral
views and wetlands that
define the character of Mile
Hill Road.” ❧
The extraordinary success of the Columbia Land Conservancy is, in part, directly linked to the generosity of
the individuals who have donated land for resale as part of our Tradeland Program. The Conservancy accepts
donations of a wide variety of property and other appreciated assets to enhance its conservation efforts
throughout the county. Here’s how:
Conservancy. CLC can also accept houses and appreciated
assets (e.g., stocks, art, furniture, antique cars, etc.).
• For property donations, the Conservancy staff and
board of trustees evaluate the property’s natural resources
and, if deemed to be of long-term conservation importance,
protect the property with a conservation easement
when selling it to a conservation buyer.
• All proceeds from the sale are applied to our work
throughout the county, thereby contributing to the
protection of hundreds, and sometimes thousands,
of acres of additional land.
• Such donations are often recognized by the I.R.S. as
charitable gifts and the appraised value of the gift
may be applied towards the donor’s federal and state
income taxes. Land donations also have been used as an
integral part of family estate planning. In addition,
landowners benefit from the knowledge that their gift
will leverage the protection of land that otherwise might
not have been protected.
If you would like to help protect the rural character of
Columbia County through the donation of a tradeland
property, or to find out more about the Tradeland Program,
contact one of CLC’s project managers (Tony, Renee,
and Tom) at (518) 392-5252. ❧