Some landowners are looking to protect their legacies, others seek the tax advantage. All have come to Greenbelt to keep their properties as open space in perpetuity by agreeing to a Conservation Restriction (CR).
“Greenbelt has a long track record of holding CRs,” said Mike Carbone, Assistant Director of Land Stewardship. “Our reputation is good and folks want to work with us, knowing they are entrusting their land to us to oversee it even after they are gone.”
There are 328 landowners involved and every Conservation Restriction is different. It is tailored to the property and the landowner’s wishes on how they wish to protect it.
Greenbelt’s Stewardship Department is responsible for the vital role of monitoring compliance of these CRs at over 10,000 acres at over 250 properties in 25 of the 34 cities and towns in Essex County. This work requires hundreds of visits each year.
The properties range in size from 0.1 acre in Rockport to the newly-conserved 2,100+ acres of Lynn Woods.
They include both prohibited and permitted activities. There may be selective cutting of trees and pruning of vegetation, or there may be a structure allowed, like a house or a barn, but it may be limited to a certain size or location.
Some CRs are donated, others are purchased. A dozen success stories are featured on our website.
Using a GPS App that identifies the boundaries of the property, the Stewardship Department visits some properties every year, others every other year.
“We look at it as a partnership with the landowner,” said Carbone. “We don’t own the land, but we do hold a CR on the property. We ensure long-term compliance with its terms.”
“We don’t usually see problems with the person who granted the restriction, because they were fully onboard with doing it,” said Carbone. “Sometimes when the property sells, the new owner may not be aware of the restrictions or understand its terms. Fortunately, we've been able to resolve any violations amicably.”
In the past 6 to 8 years, Greenbelt has expanded its work into communities where it had no restrictions previously. Lynn Woods is the first in Lynn. There are new ones in Amesbury, and many now in Haverhill.
If you are interested in learning more about options for your land visit https://ecga.org/Your-Conservation-Options