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How is Land Preserved?

There are several approaches one can take toward land preservation. For more information, please go to the following Land Trust Alliance

How Does the Landowner Start?

The next step is to contact the Land Trust. The owner will need to supply as much information about the property as possible. Please fill out our property information sheet. PCLT will review the information and then work with the owner as to the best strategy in preserving their land.

Contact the Land Trust

Criteria For Land Acquisition:

To qualify for consideration for acquisition by purchase or donation, a site must be able to be justified as having value in one or more of the following nine (9) categories:

1. Lands that contain endangered, threatened or rare species of natural communities.
2. Lands that contain, or have the potential to contain, ecosystems of educational or scientific value.
3. Lands of agricultural or forestry of significance
4. Wetlands, floodplains, or other lands necessary for the protection of water quality
5. Lands of historical value, or adjacent to lands of historical value, and that are necessary for the protection of the items of historical interest.
6. Lands that have potential to be a part of community, regional, or state park or greenway systems.
7. Lands that contain unique or outstanding physiographic characteristics. (Example: A large rock outcropping overlooking surrounding countryside)
8. Lands that contain exemplary ecosystems or natural features. (Example: Old-growth hardwood forest, migratory waterfowl wintering area)
9. Land that is valuable to a community as open space due to its proximity to developing areas or its prominent position in how people perceive their community. (Example: Open fields on a major thoroughfare at the entrance to a town.)

Whether a site falls into one or more of the above categories is only the first state of the process in deciding whether the Putnam County Land Trust will acquire the land. Once it has been determined that the site does qualify in one or more of the above categories, then the Board of Directors must consider the following items:

1. DOES THE SITE HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR HAVING A SOUND MANAGEMENT PLAN?

Before the PCLT can accept any piece of property, it must be satisfied that it can properly manage the property. What will be the cost involved? Will there be access problems? What will the land be used for? These are all questions that must be answered and provided for before the PCLT can accept a piece of property. Each site is different and each site will have different problems. The Board of Directors must make a determination for each site on an individual basis.

2. IS THE SITE LARGE ENOUGH TO BE SIGNIFICANT FOR ITS PURPOSE

There is no minimum size required for the PCLT to acquire a site. However, it must be large enough to have a significant impact on the reason it was selected. For example, suppose the site has been qualified as farmland. If it were only one acre in size, it might be deemed large enough to really make a significant impact. Of course, in considering size, thought must be given as to whether there is potential for adding additional acreage in the future.

3. CAN THE LAND BE ACQUIRED WITH REASONABLE EFFORT IN RELATION TO ITS VALUE OR PURPOSE