Pictured: Chip Minor, NNLC Board President (Left), Diana Norris, Land Trust Alliance (Right)
By Alicen Hackney
Last month, the Northern Neck Land Conservancy hosted its first Land Legacy Forum at the 1710 Tavern in Tappahannock.
The event focused on federal tax policy related to conservation easements and was presented by Diana Norris of the Land Trust Alliance, the national association of land conservancies.
Norris is a national leader in land conservation with deep roots in Virginia. She shared her expertise with a room full of accountants, attorneys, tax credit brokers, wealth advisors, and appraisers who work with conservation-minded landowners in the Northern Neck and Essex County.
“We are all in this together, which is a good thing because the intensity of pressure on land and water resources is unprecedented,” said Norris. “The world has changed, including political shifts, increased external pressures on conservation, changes to land trusts’ funding sources, heightened complexity, severity and frequency of challenges and additional complexity in the work. Approaches and assumptions in land conservation also need to shift as do funding models and cost calculations.”
Northern Neck Land Conservancy envisions last month’s Land Legacy Forum as the first event of an annual series for the region’s professional advisors.
“Professional advisors are integral to establishing effective conservation easements, so we have been eager to offer an event that convenes, educates and inspires regional professionals,” said Northern Neck Land Conservancy’s Executive Director, Lisa Biever.
The communities of the Northern Neck and Essex County care deeply about preserving our natural spaces against excessive development. It is more important than ever to combine the expertise of professional advisors and land conservation specialists.
Partnerships like these can maximize the benefits and effectiveness of conservation on private properties by making the overall process easier for landowners. Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the conservation easement process can ultimately result in more acres of conserved open space land.
“I continue to be optimistic learning from the trends and incorporating them into risk management approaches. The good news is that land conservation remains bipartisan, relevant, and thriving,” said Norris.
If you would like to be added to the list to attend future Northern Neck Land Conservancy events like this one, please call 804-250-2334 or send an email to info@nnconserve.org with your request and contact information.
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