Protect your land

One of the finest legacies you can leave for future generations is a protected woodland, wetland, grassland, working land or naturally significant area or landmark.

ACRES is the largest and oldest local land trust in the region and has an unblemished record of adhering to donor intent.

Once ACRES protects your property, our name will always remain on the deed, guaranteeing its protection forever.

Bicentennial Woords

Options for protecting your land with ACRES:

  • as an outright gift
  • as a bequest, left in your will
  • as a reserved life estate, allowing you to live on your property
  • as a market-value purchase
  • and most frequently, as a discounted purchase

Benefits to you may include:

  • The value of your donation qualifies as a charitable contribution*
  • The opportunity to preserve and share your stories from the land, including naming rights
  • Retained rights such as continuing to reside on your land, personal recreational use

ACRES protects land. Forever.

ACRES permanently protects natural places and working lands by guaranteeing to never develop or transfer them. ACRES name will always remain on the deed, protecting these lands from development or transfer. ACRES properties can only move up categories into a higher level of protection. ACRES will never move a property into a lower protection category.

ACRES Land Trust accepts land in three categories:

  • Nature Preserves protect significant natural areas. These places are permanently protected and will never be sold, transferred, developed or divided. They often contain unique natural features or rare, threatened or endangered plants and animals.
  • Protected Lands include natural areas as well as working lands such as family farms, managed forests, tree farms, recreational areas and hunting/fishing properties. Protected Lands are permanently protected and will never be sold, transferred, developed or divided.
  • Transferable Properties are offered no protection and are intended to be sold by ACRES for financial gain, transferred to another entity or otherwise used at ACRES discretion.

Income from Protected Lands and Transferrable Properties will be used to steward existing protected areas by establishing and maintaining healthy native habitat. This income may also be used to offset expenses associated with Protected Lands and Transferrable Properties such as property taxes, drainage assessments, timber stand improvement, tile repair and more.

ACRES evaluates the land we commit to protecting. Because assessing the natural value of land is site-specific and situational, this evaluation requires more than reviewing a checklist. If you have questions about protecting your land, we’d be honored to speak with you.

Thank you for considering protecting your land with ACRES Land Trust.

If you’re ready to discuss your options or have questions, please contact:
Jason Kissel
Executive Director
260-637-2273, ext. 102

*Contact your legal and financial advisers to determine how your land protection options will impact your specific tax and estate circumstances