Conservation easements in
Massachusetts
MASSACHUSETTS AT A GLANCE
135,845
172
40
acres in conservation easements
across the state
number of working farms with
state-held agricultural preservation
restrictions (APRs)
average number of acres lost to
development each day
ABOUT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS
Conservation easements are one of the most powerful, effective tools available for the conservation of
private lands. Their use has successfully protected
millions of acres of wildlife habitat and open space,
and hundreds of miles of rivers, all while keeping
property in private hands and generating significant
public benefits.
By limiting development and prohibiting an array of other buildings and activities, the easement on the
MacVeetys’ land will help preserve the fragile and diverse wetlands at Schenob Brook. ©John Roberts
The MacVeetys, Southern Berkshires
Although Bob and Sue MacVeety’s 56-acre
homestead near Sheffield in western
- Preserves natural areas
Massachusetts still sits at the junction of two
- Prevents subdivision
dirt roads, many crossroads in their rural
- Preserves farmland
county are being paved over. Fearing that the
- Maintains character of rural
rare calcium-rich wetlands that characterize
community
the area and harbor three rare turtle species
- Buffers Schenob Brook Preserve
could be the next victim of blacktop, the
PRIVATE BENEFITS
MacVeetys donated the rights to develop their
- Maintains farming tradition
land to The Nature Conservancy through a
- Keeps land intact
conservation easement. The restrictions keep
- Preserves options for children
12 acres in farmland while limiting developand grandchildren to farm
ment to just one other small house and prohibiting other development and activities such
as snowmobiling. Some friends were amazed at their decision, as the farm is the
greatest asset for Sue, who teaches in the local school district, and Bob, a director at
a local daycare center.
PUBLIC BENEFITS
- Conserves wildlife habitat
“This is my land right now, but I’m just a steward, here to treat it
gently. When I pass it on, I want to make sure it’s treated gently
down through the ages.”
– Bob MacVeety
Often, some of the most ecologically significant lands
and waters in the country are those found in rural
and agricultural landscapes. Easements have been
instrumental in preserving these landscapes, from
family farms to working ranches and timberlands.
Between 1992 and 1997, more than 11 million acres
of rural land in the United States were converted to
developed use – an area five times the size of
Yellowstone National Park. As people struggle to
keep family farms and ranches together in the face of
steep taxes and unpredictable markets, conservation
easements are often the tool of choice.
As development and sprawl continue to creep across
Massachusetts, market-based incentives such as
conservation easements will prove critical to meeting
public needs for clean water, productive farms and
forests, open space, and healthy wildlife habitats.
Public benefits of conservation easements
- Protect water quality
- Conserve wildlife habitat
- Preserve open space
- Preserve farmland, ranchland, timberland
- Maintain character of rural communities
- Buffer public lands
- Maintain landscapes for tourism
- Require less in public services, generate
more in local revenues
The easement on the Mazars’ property allows the Conservancy to restore a globally rare
sandplain grassland habitat. © Chris Neil
Ron Wolanin of Mass Audubon gathers data from land buffering West Mountain. The Williamses’
easement permanently protects the woodlands outside the sanctuary. © Claudia Kopkowski
The Mazars, Martha’s Vineyard
The Williamses, Plainfield
In 2000, Ann and Brian
Mazar bought nearly 100 acres
- Conserves wildlife habitat
- Preserves and restores sandthat had been protected by a
plain grasslands
conservation easement held by
- Prevents subdivision
The Nature Conservancy. They
- Maintains character of rural
feel that they are preserving
community
not only the island’s rare natu- Buffers Edgartown Great Pond
ral communities but its charac- Provides additional affordable
housing for island families
ter as well. A study conducted
by the Vineyard Conservation
PRIVATE BENEFITS
Partnership suggests that land
- Keeps land intact
on Martha’s Vineyard is being
- Contributes to habitat restoration
developed at twice the rate at
which it is being saved. The
Mazars’ easement grants the Conservancy the right to restore
coastal sandplain habitat, one of the world’s most threatened
ecosystems. The Mazars volunteered to remove a large house on
the property and replace it with a modest, ecologically friendly
home. They then recycled the former house into three parts,
each used as affordable housing elsewhere on the island.
In 1995, Dudley and Judith
Williams purchased 217 acres
- Expands West Mountain
Sanctuary boundary
of biologically rich land next
- Preserves natural areas
to West Mountain Wildlife
- Conserves wildlife habitat
Sanctuary and donated a con- Buffers Mill Brook
servation easement to Mass
Audubon. The purchase and
PRIVATE BENEFITS
easement were facilitated
- Keeps land intact
through Mass Audubon’s
- Buffers development
Conservation Buyer Program.
- Proximity to West Mountain
In 2000, the Williamses purchased an adjacent 80-acre
woodland parcel and donated a conservation restriction on it.
Then in 2003, they purchased an additional 20 acres and again
donated an easement restriction, strengthening the links between
the protected parcels of land.
PUBLIC BENEFITS
“The current struggle between development and
conservation with such a limited amount of land
available convinced us that this is a critical time to
determine the future of Martha’s Vineyard.”
– Brian Mazar
PUBLIC BENEFITS
With Mass Audubon’s encouragement and appreciation, the
Williamses are currently negotiating to purchase another 40-acre
parcel for protection. When that transaction is successfully completed, a contiguous block of nearly 400 acres will have been permanently protected through Mass Audubon’s partnership with
the Williamses
“West Mountain is one reason we bought our home.
We’ve always valued land, conservation and
Mass Audubon sanctuaries.”
– Judith Williams
We use conservation easements because they are a cost-effective and highly
efficient conservation tool on private lands.
For more information about our work in Massachusetts, please contact:
Wayne Klockner, director, Massachusetts program, The Nature Conservancy,
(617) 227-7017
02/2005