Throughout the country private individuals and organizations have been working to protect their environment and their landscape through land preservation agreements. The Scenic Rivers Land Trust was founded in 1988 (under the name Severn River Land Trust) to provide a mechanism for residents and organizations in Anne Arundel County to use this voluntary mechanism to protect their land. Since then, 48 landowners in the Severn, South, Patuxent, Rhode and West River watersheds have completed land preservation agreements with SRLT ranging in size from a quarter acre to several hundred acres, both waterfront and interior, to preserve their property. Through these materials, you'll learn all the steps and advantages of establishing a preservation agreement for your property.

Is a conservation easement right for you? Ask yourself the following questions: Do I want to preserve the natural features of my property? Do I want to help protect my watershed from the increasing pressures of development? Would the tax benefits of a conservation easement relieve my tax burden and help to ensure that we can continue to maintain our property within our family?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, consider establishing a conservation easement on your property. An increasing number of local residents are discovering that a conservation easement is the best way to meet their goals, uphold their values and realize thousands of dollars in property tax savings and income tax deductions.

Other than the substantial financial benefits an easement can provide, the easement also provides important benefits to both the landowner and the public as a whole. The positive effects of open space have been proven – people thrive when they experience green space in their daily lives. Here in Anne Arundel County, we have seen our landscape drastically change as development pressure has remained steady, and more houses are developed in increasingly far-flung spaces. The work SRLT does ensures the protection of some of Anne Arundel County’s most treasured landscapes. There is also a direct link between the preservation of land and water quality, an issue of critical importance in the Chesapeake Bay region. Creating a conservation easement on your property will give you the assurance that your vision for your land will remain in place, and the benefits of open space will be enjoyed for years to come.