Practice 8A: Strategic Conservation Planning

Land trusts typically must manage multiple projects and make hard choices among worthy prospects. Making decisions can be challenging if you lack a comprehensive land protection strategy for your region. This document lays out the benefits of developing a strategic conservation plan.

While the details of strategic conservation planning are as unique as each land trust, there are four common steps land trusts take in crafting effective plans

While each strategic land conservation plan will be unique, there are certain topics that should be included in all plans. Each of the suggested outline topics is accompanied by a general estimate (high, medium or low) of the intensity of resources (time or money) that the topic requires from the land trust. Items that the land trust has already created or can easily generate in-house are rated as low intensity.

This guidance covers Practice 8D: Project Planning.

In 2021 the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust began the process of reviewing and

revisioning its 10-Year Strategic Conservation Plan, last updated in 2011.

Having written project selection criteria will help your land trust meet your conservation goals and ensure public benefit.

This is sample language for a codicil to bequeath a conservation easement in a will from the accredited Vermont Land Trust.

A sample conservation plan from the accredited Maine Coast Heritage Trust to help guide the negotiator of a conservation easement through initial conservation planning discussions with easement grantors.

There is work to be done in implementing the plan, so creating a simple checklist of implementation items, including identifying those responsible for each item and establishing a timeline for completion, is a final step that brings accountability to the process.