What is the general purpose of a conservation easement?

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A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement that restricts development on a property to protect its conservation values. It’s typically created between a landowner and a qualified entity such as a government agency or land trust, and it is recorded on the deed so it binds current and future owners. The owner can keep the land and continue many of its uses, but certain activities—like subdivision or intensive development—are limited or prohibited by the terms of the easement. The goal is to preserve things such as wildlife habitat, water quality, open space, scenic views, and overall biodiversity, while allowing continued ownership and, in some cases, sustainable uses like forestry or farming under the agreed-upon restrictions. While there can be tax benefits associated with easements, those are secondary to the main purpose of limiting development to protect conservation values. It’s not a hunting permit, nor a blanket requirement to plant trees; those would be separate programs or requirements outside the easement itself.