The Long View: Managing and Improving Aging Easements in California
Location / Date
Source
About This Webinar
Hosted in partnership between the Land Trust Alliance and the California Council of Land Trusts, this webinar series will help California land trusts navigate the real-world challenges of aging conservation easements. As early easements age, many contain outdated language, unclear provisions, or gaps that can complicate stewardship and enforcement. This series will offer technical guidance, legal insights and peer-informed strategies for interpreting, managing, and, where appropriate, amending legacy easements to better reflect current conditions and best practices. Participants will gain tools to strengthen long-term conservation outcomes while reducing risk and uncertainty.
This session is intended for land trusts working in California.
Participants in Land Trust Alliance events should review and agree to the Alliance Code of Conduct.
© 2026 Land Trust Alliance, Inc. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
These resources are provided "as is" for informational purposes only, without warranty of any kind. They do not constitute legal or professional advice and do not create an attorney-client relationship. They may not reflect current legal developments and should be adapted for your organization with qualified professional help. The Alliance is not liable for any damages arising from use of or reliance on these resources. Views in individual posts and third-party links/logos are not Alliance endorsements. The Alliance is committed to equal opportunity and does not condone unlawful discrimination.
For accreditation-related materials, please also consult the Land Trust Accreditation Commission website.
Thank you
This training is funded by the California Wildlife Conservation Board and delivered in partnership with the California Council of Land Trusts.
Series overview
- Session 1 | July 7 | 11 a.m.
Understanding the risks and realities of aging easements
Aging conservation easements often involve successor landowners, evolving land management practices, and changing environmental realities. This session focuses on relationship-centered stewardship strategies that help land trusts navigate changed circumstances while maintaining conservation values and organizational credibility. Participants will explore approaches to communication, collaboration, adaptive management, and discretionary approvals.
In this session you'll learn the best practices to:
Work with successor landowners.
Practice relationship-based stewardship.
Manage changed circumstances.
Make discretionary approvals and adaptive decision-making.
- Session 2 | Aug. 25 | 11 a.m.
Building relationships and managing changed circumstances
Many land trusts now steward easements drafted decades ago under very different legal, environmental, and organizational conditions. This session examines the most common challenges associated with aging conservation easements, including vague or outdated language, inadequate documentation, neglected stewardship histories, changing regulatory contexts, and evolving conservation threats. Participants will explore how historical organizational practices continue to shape current stewardship obligations and legal risk.
In this session you'll learn about:
The landscape of aging easements.
Common legal and stewardship challenges.
Changing conditions and emerging pressures.
Identifying and prioritizing risk.
- Session 3 | Oct. 13 | 11 a.m.
Repair, amend or enforce? Navigating complex decision-making
Not every aging easement challenge requires litigation — but not every issue can be resolved informally. This session explores the spectrum of legal and stewardship responses available to land trusts, including correcting errors, addressing documentation problems, pursuing amendments, and determining when enforcement action may be necessary. Participants will examine practical decision-making frameworks and legal considerations for managing difficult situations.
In this session we'll explore:
Uncovering and correcting errors.
Easement amendments.
Enforcing decision-making when litigation becomes necessary.
- Session 4 | Dec. 9 | 11 a.m.
Preparing for the future: organizational capacity, risk management and long-term stewardship
Managing aging conservation easements requires more than legal tools — it requires sustained organizational capacity, clear policies and a culture of proactive stewardship. This session focuses on strengthening long-term stewardship systems, preparing for future organizational transitions, and building resilience in the face of climate and operational uncertainty.
In this session you'll gain tools to:
Build organizational readiness.
Address neglected or high-risk easements.
Create financial and operational sustainability.
Prepare for the next generation of stewardship.
Accessibility
All of our virtual events and webinars include closed captioning in English. If you have any additional accessibility needs for this event, please contact Terry Hendrick.