CONSERVATION EASEMENTS

The Garden Conservancy was the first organization to create a conservation easement (Ruth Bancroft Garden, Walnut Creek, CA, 1992) specifically for a garden, a unique approach to preservation. By holding a conservation easement on a garden property, the Conservancy ensures that the value of that property its gardens and/or horticultural collection is protected in perpetuity. The Garden Conservancy assists gardens that are considering a conservation easement in various ways:

We advise owners, when requested, on the advantages of establishing a conservation easement and how best to determine appropriate restrictions to protect conservation values.

We review existing funding to ensure adequate resources for monitoring the easement and taking appropriate action to defend the terms of the easement in the event of a violation.

We recommend resources for finding lawyers and accountants and work with those professionals to create easements.

We monitor our easements annually, and report to the landowner upon request and/or if there is a violation.

Our conservation easement program currently includes eight easements on historic or culturally significant American gardens around the country. In 2018, we created a special conservation easement orientation for our partners to help them better understand the purpose of easements, their restrictions and each of our roles and responsibilities.

Maintaining productive relationships with the owner and operators of the gardens where we hold easements is vital as it keeps the Conservancy in touch with issues that may affect the future health of the garden. It also keeps the Conservancy apprised of the stability of the organization that manages the garden and how well they are able to comply with requirements of the easement. A sound organizational structure with clear plans and policies is critical to the sustainability of any garden, private or public.

The Garden Conservancy's Conservation Easements:

Chase Garden, Orting, WA

Eby Telegraph Hill, San Francisco, CA

Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden, Charlotte, NC Gardens at Palmdale, Fremont, CA

Green Gables, Woodside, CA

John Fairey Garden, Hempstead, TX

Keil Cove, Tiburon, CA

Ruth Bancroft Garden, Walnut Creek, CA