Conservation Buyer Program

In order to maximize opportunities to achieve its goals, the Trust’s Conservation Buyer Program introduces conservation-minded buyers to priority conservation properties on the market.  These transactions may include emergency situations or properties where the land trust is unable to generate sufficient capital to complete the purchase.

Wallowa Land Trust works with sellers and realtors to identify and highlight these key properties.  Often these landowners are interested in selling their property to a buyer who will permanently protect the property from further development.

The Trust then matches buyers and sellers to ensure protection of these private properties.  Additionally, the land trust works with conservation buyers and their representatives to identify properties that best match the buyer’s needs and desires.  A conservation buyer typically donates a Conservation Easement on the property within a year of purchase.  The donation of the Conservation Easement may provide significant income and estate tax benefits to the buyer.  Ultimately, these transactions result in privately owned property protected for future generations.

Listed Conservation Buyer properties include: lands that maintain traditional land uses such as farming & ranching, protect fish & wildlife habitat, forestry, open space, or other natural resources; lands adjacent to other protected properties; and lands large enough to protect resource values if adjacent lands are developed.  Properties may also include lands already protected by Conservation Easements.

The Wallowa Land Trust works with the real estate community on these projects but does not accept real estate commissions.

For information on lands currently on the market, please contact James Monteith.