Donate Now
        Donating Land
        Gifts of Stock
        Planned Gifts
        Volunteer
        Co-Educator Opportunities

Renowned sculptor George Rickey donated this land to  CLC as part of the Hand Hollow Conservation Area  Donating land for conservation purposes is truly one of the finest legacies people can leave to their community and to future generations.  People donate land, remainder interests in land, and conservation easements to ensure their land will be permanently protected and/or that it will always be available for public recreation, education, and habitat protection.  People also donate land because they want to leave a lasting gift to the Conservancy and to their community.  Donating land to the Conservancy can also provide landowners with a variety of potential tax benefits.   Outright Land Donations When CLC accepts donations of land, it evaluates whether or not it is appropriate for use as a public conservation area.  If so, CLC's staff will work with volunteers to create trails and open the property to the public for use as an outdoor classroom, recreational area and wildlife habitat.  Click here to read more about CLC's public conservation areas.   If the land does not meet the criteria for a public conservation area, yet contains significant conservation attributes, CLC will protect the land with a conservation easement to be resold (with any associated structures) at its conservation value.  If the property does not have significant conservation attributes, CLC may sell the land (and associated structures) without a conservation easement.  The proceeds from these  sales fund our growing conservation and education programs throughout the county.        [Back to top]   Donating a Remainder Interest in Land Rather than donating land outright, some people prefer to donate their land to CLC and retain life-use of the property.  Donating a remainder interest and retaining a reserved life estate allows the landowner to continue living on the land during his/her lifetime.  When the landowner dies, CLC gains full title to the property.  Depending on the landowner’s wishes, CLC would either establish the land as a public conservation area or sell the property to further our conservation efforts throughout the county.        [Back to top] Donating Land or Conservation Easements After Your Lifetime A landowner can donate land or a conservation easement to CLC in his or her Will.  A person making such a bequest should work with CLC to make sure the project meets the Conservancy’s conservation criteria and that CLC is able to accept it.  In the case of a conservation easement, it is best to clarify the terms of the easement during the donor’s lifetime in order to ensure that the easement accomplishes his or her conservation goals.  In certain instances, Section 2031(c) of the Internal Revenue Code allows beneficiaries to exclude up to 40 percent of the otherwise taxable value of land (that is permanently protected with a qualifying conservation easement) from their estate.  There are a number of criteria that must be satisfied to qualify for this exclusion, and therefore individuals interested in Section 2031(c) should work with their tax advisors or estate planners to explore this option in more detail.      [Back to top]

Columbia Land Conservancy · P.O. Box 299 · 49 Main Street · Chatham, NY 12037 · (518) 392-5252