Katy Prairie Conservancy’s Conservation Easement Workshop is scheduled for Friday, October 20, 2017 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Midway Barbecue, 6025 Highway Blvd. in Katy. This workshop is for landowners, real estate professionals, attorneys, advisers, natural resource professionals, and city or county officials to learn the hows and whys of conservation easements and land protection, Elisa Donovan, Assistant Director and General Counsel for the Katy Prairie Conservancy explained, “Preserving agricultural and natural lands benefits wildlife and protects the quality of life for people in the Houston area. A conservation easement is an important tool that can be used to protect greenspace, while keeping ownership with the landowner. Landowners that grant conservation easements may be able to achieve tax savings while also protecting the land for future generations.”
The workshop will also cover how land preservation impacts flood control. In addition, information will be provided on several state and federal programs in Texas that provide funds and encourage landowners to preserve and restore land. “We are excited to bring together representatives from multiple agencies that support our common goal of preserving land.” Participants in the KPC workshop will include representatives from Natural Resources Conservation Service, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Bayou Land Conservancy, Galveston Bay Foundation, Texas Land Trust Council, Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, Texas State Soil & Water Conservation Board, and Texas Coastal Watershed Program.
Topics include:
- Why save land on the Urban Edge? What is the Coastal Prairie and How Does it Benefit my Community?
- What is a Conservation Easement? What is a Land Trust?
- Top 10 Issues of Which any Landowner Should be Aware
- Effects of Land Fragmentation
- Saving Land and Saving Taxes – Income, Estate, and Property; The Appraisal Process
- Funding Sources for Land Preservation, Conservation Easements, and Restoration
The workshop is generously underwritten by the West Endowment. For more information, click here.
The Katy Prairie Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust dedicated to preserving an ecologically vital tallgrass prairie and associated wetlands area on Houston’s far west side for the enjoyment and benefit of all. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @katyprairie or at katyprairie.org.