It seems like the day isn’t complete until I’ve heard some bad news about the environment. From shrinking polar ice caps to mass extinction, the picture looks grim, and I can’t help but feel demoralized at times. Nevertheless, peoples’ struggles around the world are making positive gains for our planet and our future. One movement that has been particularly successful in recent years, yet which doesn’t get much coverage in the media (I never hear anything), is the land trust movement.
Land trusts are non-profit organizations that work to conserve land through land or conservation easements, the purchasing of land for permanent protection, land donations and other methods. Some trusts have been around for over a hundred years, but most are much younger. The Land Trust Alliance, which is the national coordinating organization in the US, currently has more than 1,600 member trusts across the country, located in every state. According to the 2005 National Land Trust Census, 37 million acres are being conserved by land trusts, which is double what it was only five years before. That is 16½ times the size of Yellowstone National Park, and roughly the size of New England. And the number of land trusts increased 32% over that same five year period. These figures are indicative of the growing concern that people have over the profit-driven destruction of the environment. As many politicians stall and bend to corporate wishes, ordinary people are busy conserving and preserving the land they love.
Another factor that makes land trusts successful is that they provide tax deductions for those who put their properties into conservation easements. On May 15, Congress renewed the Farm Bill (overriding a veto from President Bush) which extends significant tax benefits on easements through 2009. According to the Land Trust Alliance, many trusts reported that their conservation agreements doubled during 2007, when the bill was formerly in effect. I am hopeful the trend will continue now that the bill has been renewed.
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), who originated the provision for tax incentives, said that, “Simply put—this is an incentive that works: for conservation, for farmers, for ranchers, and for all landowners who want a fair deal for their tremendous generosity in donating conservation easements. Many ranchers and other landowners in Montana and across the US have told me they could not afford to conserve their land without this measure.” The senator’s comment highlights the class dimension of the conservation issue. Easements have emerged as a way for small farmers and ranchers to hold onto their land and livelihood in the face of competition from powerful corporate agribusiness.
Despite these and other victories, most people remain unaware of land trusts. I knew nothing about these organizations until last November, when I began working for the Land Trust for Southeast Louisiana (LTSL). This has been a tremendously rewarding experience, and I have learned a great deal and met dedicated activists in my area. LTSL preserves and conserves lands in the Florida Parishes region of our state and has been around since 2005. After only three years in existence, and without a single paid staff member, LTSL is on the verge of being steward to over 2,949 acres, including important wetland areas and cypress-tupelo swamp. This is testament to the incredible efficiency and potential of the land trust movement. I would encourage all environmental activists to do further research on the topic and consider supporting financially or working with their local land trusts.
