Survey: Land trusts see 27 percent increase in five years

Land trust advocates are pointing to a recently released survey as proof that land conservation easements are a successful way for ranchers and farmers to preserve their land. The National Land Trust Census, released by the Land Trust Alliance last month, shows that conservation easements increased 27 percent between 2005 and 2010. The survey found 10 million new acres conserved nationwide since 2005, with more than 2.3 million acres in California. Easements keep land from being developed. A total of 47 million acres -- an area larger than Washington state -- are now conserved by land trusts through easements, according to the survey. Representatives of the Northcoast Regional Land Trust (NRLT), which operates in Humboldt, Trinity and Del Norte counties, said the greatest percentage of new acreage comes through local and state land trusts. In California, land trusts conserved 2.3 million acres between 2005 and 2010, a 34 percent increase. Land owners receive an enhanced tax deduction for the land donation. Currently, land owners who donate a qualified conservation easement are allowed to deduct the fair market value of the easement. These deductions are capped at 50 percent of income, but farmers and ranchers are able to claim 100 percent. According to the office of North Coast Congressman Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, the carry forward period for such deductions is 15 years. Thompson has co-sponsored a bill to make the incentive permanent -- the current incentive will expire at the end of this year...more