The Washtenaw Land Trust is pleased to announce a new resource designed to meet the needs of this group— The Land & Lawyer Handbook: A Practitioner’s Guide to Conservation Easements.  Thanks to the generosity of the Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation and Malloy Incorporated, this resource is being sent free to local law firms and conservation organizations.

     Additional copies are available – see below for how to order.

      “The Land Trust created this Handbook at the request of attorneys who have had to school themselves on the details of conservation,” said Susan Lackey, Executive Director.  “This ‘how to’ manual will help attorneys expeditiously serve the needs of their clients.

      “Local property owners will be able to get the advice they need, and more of our local forests, rivers, and meadows can be protected – forever.”

The Handbook includes:

• A template draft for a standard easement with commentary;
• Relevant Michigan statutes and Michigan case citations;
• Relevant federal laws and regulations, including IRS guidelines;
• Sections on the most recent Federal and state legislation affecting conservation easements. 
• Electronic copies of all sections of the Handbook on CD.  Each section of the handbook is its own file, so you can email the relevant portions of the handbook as attachments when needed.

      A companion piece to the Handbook covers the basics of conservation options in a less-technical, Frequently-Asked-Questions format for property owners.  This brochure is called Protecting Your Land. 

      “These resources come at just the right time,” said Jim Govert, who helped compile the Handbook.  Govert is a Board member with Washtenaw Land Trust and senior counsel at law firm Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone, PLC.  “Some generous tax incentives are currently set to expire at the end of 2007.  This is an excellent time for property owners to consider protecting their land.”

      To request a free copy of these resources please contact Mark Patrick at the Washtenaw Land Trust at 734-302-LAND(5263), mark@washtenawlandtrust.org, or 1100 N. Main St. #203, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48104.

About Washtenaw Land Trust
      The first land trust in Michigan, Washtenaw Land Trust is a group of over 1,000 individuals, families, and organizations working together to protect the natural areas and rural landscapes that make our community a great place to live. To date, the growing organization has protected 50 properties totaling 2,616 acres throughout Washtenaw, Jackson, and Ingham counties, through voluntary land conservation.

      The Washtenaw Land Trust is a private, non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, visit www.washtenawlandtrust.org, or contact info@washtenawlandtrust.org or 734-302-LAND (5263).

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