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Landowners Preserve Green Space Through Conservation Easement

Duck River

An easement will protect the Duck River.

John Porter remembers taking his sons camping and fishing along the Duck River on the Williamsport farm that his family has owned for nearly 75 years. So it’s no surprise he wanted to preserve the land for future generations.

“That land has sentimental value‚” Porter says. “I wanted to make sure whoever owns or inherits it in the future can enjoy it‚ too.”

Porter and his wife‚ Gerrie‚ preserved more than 108 acres of Maury County farmland in 2006 by donating a conservation easement to The Land Trust for Tennessee. A conservation easement is a voluntary contract between a landowner and the Land Trust. The owner places permanent restrictions on future use of the property to protect scenic‚ wildlife or agricultural resources. The landowner still owns the property‚ however‚ and can use it‚ sell it or leave it to heirs‚ but the easement restrictions stay with the land forever.

“When development moves into an area‚ it covers up beautiful farmland‚ and that kind of development is moving quickly into Maury County‚” Porter says. “A conservation easement is something an individual can do to express his opinion for the future.”

The conservation easement on Porter’s land will not only ensure the farm remains undeveloped‚ it will also protect the bordering Duck River‚ which has been identified as one of the most biologically diverse rivers in the nation.

“It’s a really clear river that has lots of different mussels and fish‚” Porter says. “And it’s great for canoeing.”

Conservation easements are grow­ing in popularity in Maury County. A woman near Columbia placed 110 acres of her property in a conservation easement in 2005‚ and a northwestern Maury County family put their 230-acre farm in an easement in December 2006.

Story by Jessica Mozo

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