Links and Resources for Legal Defense Reserves

How can your land trust ensure it has an adequate legal defense reserve to protect your preserves and conservation easements? Calculate your reserve number using the Legal Defense Reserves Calculator.

A sample stewardship and legal defense fund calculation from the accredited Hill Country Conservancy.

This is a sample landowner pledge form for contributions to the Conservation Easement Stewardship Endowment Fund and Legal Defense Fund from the accredited North Branch Land Trust.

Land Trust Standards and Practices, Practice 6A. Fiscal Health, includes five elements. This module addresses Practice 6A5: Build and maintain dedicated or restricted funds sufficient to cover the long-term costs of stewarding and defending the land trust's land and conservation easements.

This guidance covers Practice Element 6A5: Build and maintain dedicated or restricted funds sufficient to cover the long term costs of stewarding and defending the land trust’s land and conservation easements.

A sample stewardship cost calculation from the accredited Piedmont Environmental Council.

This is a sample easement preparation cost estimate from the accredited Brandywine Conservancy.

Who has the legal right to sue in conservation easement cases? The Alliance's Conservation Defense team has compiled this list of cases where standing was approved or denied.

This is a sample fee land stewardship policy from the accredited Hudson Highlands Land Trust.

This guidance covers Practice Element 6A4: Build and maintain sufficient operating reserves to sustain operations.