Part 2: Material Related to Sessions and Workshops

Protecting Special Places with Conservation Easements

Beth Wheatley, Land Protection Specialist, The Nature Conservancy of
West Virginia

Most of the significant cave systems in West Virginia, and in many other states, are on privately-owned land. Protecting caves on private land is a long process requiring education, partnership-building, and creativity. Private, non-profit organizations such as The Nature Conservancy of West Virginia often have unique opportunities to work in cooperation with private landowners, and other organizations and agencies, to protect cave systems. The end result may be a cooperative management agreement, informational signs, a series of clean-ups, or a conservation easement. Conservation easements, unlike other conservation tools, provide long-term protection. Long-term protection is critical to cave conservation.

The presentation will address conservation easements as a tool to protect special places, such as caves, and the process of acquiring a conservation easement.