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Conservation Easements |
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Conservation easements provide a practical, legally effective means for a private landowner to protect the significant features of a property, or a
portion of a property, while retaining private ownership. By defining and removing particular rights from the ownership of a parcel of land, the conservation easement creates permanent
safeguards against uses of the land that could damage or destroy its ecological, scenic, recreational, or resource values. Each conservation easement is written specifically to address
the needs and desires of the owner, the natural characteristics of the land, and the conservation objectives of the owner. The holder of a conservation easement agrees to protect the
land’s specified conservation values in perpetuity. |
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Drews Valley Ranch – Lake County, OR |
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Maxwell Ranch – Phase 1 - Lake County, OR |
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Wallowa Valley Irrigation Ditch Easement – Joseph, OR |
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In 2008, the Oregon Rangeland Trust was approached by the Wallowa County Cattlemen’s
Association regarding a potentially serious threat to the delivery of irrigation water for the
Wallowa Valley. A parcel of land which both the Silver Lake Ditch and the Old Farmers
Ditch cross was being sold as a Park and there was no recorded easement in place insuring
the continuation of a right of way. Working with the ranchers and farmers of the Wallowa
Valley, ORT successfully negotiated for the transfer of an easement for both ditches. In
turn ORT leased the easement to the respective ditch companies insuring that approximately
9,000 acres of the Wallowa Valley continue to have their irrigation water delivery source
available. In 2012 the easement was successfully transferred to the Silver Lake Ditch and the Old Farmers Ditch Companies insuring that the water supply for 9,000 acres in the Wallowa Valley would be secure.
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McKenzie Family, LLC – Yelm, WA |
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The conservation easement will ensure that this privately owned agricultural land, currently being used as a cattle ranch, will remain as agricultural property in perpetuity. The property is highly desirable for residential development and has repeatedly faced the threat of development. In addition to retiring the development rights on 142 acres of the most desirable development sites of the 205 acre parcel, the conservation easement provides for a management plan that will ensure best practices are implemented in the operation of the ranch. NWRT will monitor the property annually to ensure the terms and conditions of the easement are adhered to. Alan McKenzie, the Managing Partner of McKenzie Family LLC, stated, "With this easement in place, I feel as though I have come full circle. My Great Grandparents homesteaded here in the 1870's and I am sure they are smiling down upon me, now that I have preserved their dream forever." The McKenzie Project was the first easement purchased in the State of Washington by the Oregon Rangeland Trust (ORT) doing business as Northwest Rangeland Trust. |
Widow’s Creek Ranch - Grant County, OR |
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The transfer of this easement was made possible by Jim Dovenberg, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the Bill Healy Foundation. |
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Mahan Dairy Farm, Rainer, WA |
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This easement protects one of the largest intact working prairie landscapes South and West of Rainier, Washington. The easement will ensure that this privately owned agricultural land, currently being used as a cattle ranch, will remain as agricultural property in perpetuity. One of the largest farms left in Ruth Prairie South and West of Rainier is preserved for generations for agricultural production and wildlife habitat. The property is highly desirable for residential development and has repeatedly faced the threat of development. In addition to retiring the development rights on 300 acres of the most desirable development sites of the 350 acre parcel, the conservation easement provides for a management plan that will ensure best practices are implemented in the operation of the ranch. NWRT will monitor the property annually to ensure the terms and conditions of the easement are adhered to.
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Sullivan Ranch - Ione, Oregon |
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Maxwell Farm - Phase 2 - Lake County, OR |
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This confirms the landowner and NWRT desire that an easement be placed on the remaining acreage that makes up the Maxwell Ranch. NWRT continues working with the landowner, riparian and rangeland management experts, and potential funders to make this a reality. This unique property hosts meadows, with over nine miles of creeks, timber, uplands, and habitat for mule deer, upland birds, and in stream species including redband trout. An easement on this property will insure the non-development of the parcel and protection of the aforementioned habitat. |
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Madison Ranch - Phase 1 - Echo, OR |
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The US Navy, the Trust for Public Lands, and the Northwest Rangeland Trust partnered to reached a mutually beneficial agreement with Madison Ranches Inc., on May 30, 2019, that supports working agricultural lands, preserves water rights, and protects military flight paths, on more than 3,300 acres of agricultural land. Madison Ranches is a 4th generation family farm located in Echo, Oregon, which is in close proximity to Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility in Boardman, Oregon (NWSTF). All of the interested parties reached the agreement, called a restrictive use easement through the Department of Defense's (DOD) Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program. The REPI program gives DOD organizations the ability to collaborate with local conservation organizations to purchase restrictive easements with landowners near military facilities as a way to protect military missions by helping to remove or avoid land-use conflicts and to promote conservation. Additionally, Madison Ranches, Inc. and the Northwest Rangeland Trust entered into an Agricultural Conservation Easement that protects certain values in perpetuity.
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