*January Highlight*
Land Conservation:
Easing into an Easement
Hear audio clips of a landowner's experience
Mention the word Vermont and most people think of mountains, woodlands, ski slopes and country inns. Vermont’s economic prosperity is inextricably tied to its landscape. From its dairy farms and apple orchards, to its sugar bush and hardwood stands; natural resources provide Vermonters both merchantable products as well as serve as the back-drop for a booming tourism industry.
Vermont draws visitors from far and wide with its breathtaking landscapes, relaxed atmosphere, recreational opportunities, and historic charm.
Such renown, however, can be a double-edged sword. Many have been so taken with the land that they desire their own little slice of heaven. And who could blame them? Unfortunately, as more and more new neighbors join us we run the risk of losing what makes the region so special.
The increasing demand for land means escalating land prices that in turn yield higher taxes. Families who have held and worked their land for generations suddenly find themselves unable to keep pace with skyrocketing property taxes. Fields are sold and stands are converted. Piece by piece the landscape is chipped away.
Yet there are alternatives. A number of tools exist specifically designed to help landowners avoid being cornered into such situations.
Dick Kelly has been actively managing over 150 acres of forestland in Dummerston since the 1970s. He knows there are options out there for landowners like himself who are committed to the land and he’s worked hard to share that knowledge with others.
Dick has seen the land change quite a bit over the past 70 years. The property originally served as a summer home for his grandparents before being passed down to his parents and finally to Dick and his two siblings.
Shortly after beginning active forest management Dick became a member of the Windham County Woodland Owner’s Association (WOA). It was through his stewardship and work with WOA that Dick learned how to work with the land, and how to have the land work with him.
Dick is a major proponent of the state’s Use Value Appraisal (UVA) program which allows the preferential tax treatment of land managed under a forestry plan. He cites the tax savings landowners receive from the program as one tool which can help to stave off the economic pressures of development. The other tool he strongly advocates use of is the conservation easement.
Dick and his wife originally had high hopes for passing all of the family land down to their children. They went so far as to have a real estate trust drawn up with their three children listed as beneficiaries. Over time it became apparent that each of the three had individiual family and career responsibilities and unfortunately none were in a position to take over maintenance of the property and stewardship of the land.
Although the dream of having his children steward the land has been set aside and the trust dissolved, Dick is pleased with an alternate arrangement he’s worked out with the Vermont Land Trust.
He and his wife are currently in the process of looking for a “conservation buyer” to purchase the land. When one is found, as part of the property transfer a conservation easement held by the Vermont Land Trust will be placed on 170 acres of the property.
Terms of the easement will prohibit further development, provide for continued woodland management, and ensure that this piece of heaven continues to be a working part of Vermont's beloved landscape well on into the future.
Listening to Dick Kelly speak, one gets an immediate sense of his committment to the land, his desire to do the right thing, and his willingness to share each new lesson learned with those around him.
Follow the links below to hear more of what Dick has to say about:
Vermont’s Use Value Appraisal Program (UVA)
Working With Foresters
The Detriments of Development
Protecting Land - Yet Keeping Options Open
Setting the Stage For Land Protection - How To
Not Family but the Next Best Thing
