Preserving for the Future
Preserving land with the Delaware Nature Society (DelNature) is one of the most effective ways to protect the environment and quality of life today and for future generations. Whether you are interested in donating your land or conservation easement to DelNature, or are considering what options are available for protecting your land, we can help.
Protecting Natural Lands is Crucial
Delaware has lost 50% of its wetlands and 60% of its forested areas. It’s only when we no longer have clean water, natural places to enjoy or wildlife to view that we truly appreciate their value. Through land preservation, DelNature is protecting our water, air, and precious wildlife, enhancing the quality of life for our whole community. Not only are these protected lands important to the environment and people’s health, they are also an important part of our historical and cultural identity here in Delaware.
Natural Lands Preservation
DelNature has been a major force in the protection of the state’s natural lands and heritage for over 50 years. Through coalition building, advocating for dedicated state funding for open space, and managing 2,000 acres of land statewide we’ve played a critical role in protecting over 100,000 acres. Through land acquisition, conservation easements, and deed restrictions, we have protected over 1,200 acres of land directly.
Donation of Land
Some of the lands we own and manage came to us as donations of land. As a 501-c-3 non-profit organization we are eligible to receive gifts of land in the same way we receive other types of donations. Donations of land can support us directly, if they have significant conservation value and we have the capacity to manage them for conservation and education. They can also support our mission indirectly, as an asset to sell (with protections, if appropriate) for financial resources to carry out our mission in other ways.
Donation of Easements
Conservation easements tools for protecting land from development and other activities destructive to natural resources without assuming full ownership. With a conservation easement, you can retain the right to own and manage the land subject to the terms and conditions identified in the easement and be assured that it will not be developed or its natural resources destroyed in the future. The easement is a legal document that gets recorded and runs with the land and gives a third party the right and obligation to defend it. DelNature is the holder (that third party) of over 50 such conservation easements and works collaboratively with these landowners to ensure their lands are managed and protected in perpetuity.
Other Options
As a non-profit organization, we do not typically have the resources to purchase a piece of land outright. However, there are state and other programs that do, and that we know about and advocate for those programs on a regular basis. So even if donating land or an easement is not feasible for you, we may be able to assist you in identifying other options.
The Isaac-Greene Family’s Story
Hear one family’s land preservation story. Development pressure had been increasing and farmlands and fields were disappearing. The ecological and aesthetic values of remaining forests and fields became more apparent. Weighing their options, a family had a big decision to make. Read the Isaacs-Greene Family’s story here.
Contact Us to Preserve Your Land
For assistance or more information, please contact:
Kristen Travers
Director of Conservation
302-413-5064