Community scale conservation means we see healthy wild lands with respectful public access as a critical element of a healthy rural community. To this end, Bull Creek Common Lands works with public and private landowners in a few different ways to protect land in our watershed focus area. We are interested in larger undeveloped parcels, and in smaller parcels that connect larger forest blocks and connect neighborhoods to wildlands.
Land acquisitions
Our primary method of conserving land is to acquire parcels at fair market value, bargain sale, or donation. Land in BCCL ownership is considered a public resource in perpetuity, and can only be transferred to a similar conservation nonprofit or public entity. For high priority and/or high-risk parcels of land in the Bull Creek and Grassy Brook watersheds, BCCL will evaluate the possibility of acquiring the property to be managed according to our ecological and community goals. Purchasing land can take several years as we raise grant funds and work through a series of due diligence steps. In some cases, we will also identify a partner organization to hold a perpetual conservation easement on acquired land. BCCL is also open to discussing donations of relevant parcels into our portfolio of protected lands.
Private landowner conservation easements
If a landowner is interested in conserving their land while retaining ownership, BCCL is developing a conservation easement offering in collaboration with other area land trusts. With a conservation easement, the land will be perpetually protected from residential and commercial development, and defined public uses encouraged. An easement can provide exceptions for existing residential and agricultural uses. When the land transfers ownership, the easement will continue with it. We expect a high degree of participation in conservation stewardship from landowners we partner with. Land with a easement will be visited annually by the stewardship committee.
Contact us at hello@bullcreekcommonlands.org to learn more and start a conversation with us.
