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The property includes a mix of farm fields, woods, and marsh.
“I must say, I’m very pleased,” said Mrs. Bloom. “Protecting this land – what a nice thing to have happen.”
The conservation agreement, also known as a conservation easement, is a legal agreement that places restrictions on the future development of the property. Under the terms of the agreement, the land can be sold, left as open space, restored to enhance the wildlife habitat, or farmed, but it can never be developed.
With the donation of the conservation agreement, the property value of the land decreases because of the restrictions on future development. However, this is offset in part by federal income tax deductions that are available to property owners who donate such an agreement. The loss in land value is considered a donation to the nonprofit Land Trust. The Land Trust, in turn, takes on the responsibility of making sure the land stays protected.
This property falls within the City of Ann Arbor’s Greenbelt District, in an area identified by the Greenbelt Advisory Commission as the Northfield Township Prime Farmland Complex. Because of this, the Greenbelt program acted as a partner for this project.
"The Greenbelt is delighted to partner with Washtenaw Land Trust on the conservation easement on the Bloom property,” said Laura Rubin, chair of the Greenbelt Advisory Commission. “This deal achieves two of the Greenbelt’s top priorities - working with local partners to protect land within the Greenbelt and adding another parcel of protected land to form the Greenbelt along the northern boundary."
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The first land trust established in Michigan, Washtenaw Land Trust is a private non-profit that protects - forever - the natural areas and farms that make our community a great place to live. Since 1971, this growing organization has directly protected 54 properties totaling 3,045 acres throughout Washtenaw, Jackson, and Ingham counties through voluntary land conservation. For more information please visit www.washtenawlandtrust.org, or contact the Land Trust at info@washtenawlandtrust.org or 734-302-LAND (5263).
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How You Can Support Local Land Protection
More great projects like this are in the works. Your gift to the Land Trust will ensure that funds are ready for the next big opportunity. If you'd like to make a gift:
Thank you! For more information, please contact Suzie Heiney at 734-302-LAND (5263) or suzie@washtenawlandtrust.org.
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