Coastal Resources Toolkit: Conservation Easements and Land Trusts

The Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve (JCNERR) is one of the 26 national estuarine reserves created to promote the responsible use and management of the nation's estuaries through a program combining scientific research, education, and stewardship. The JCNERR has researched and compiled a set of New Jersey-specific resources to help the public in their land zoning decisions. The topic of this toolkit is conservation easements and land trusts, including a case study of the Pine Barrens. Sections include: (1) Background: Saving New Jersey's critical natural resources, What is a conservation easement?, Steps to a conservation easement, How long does an easement last?, What is a land trust?; (2) Case Study: The New Jersey Conservation Foundation; and (3) Toolkit: Books, model ordinances, potential providers, and Internet tools.The JCNERR encompasses over 110,000 acres in southeastern New Jersey, including a great variety of terrestrial, wetland and aquatic habitats within the Mullica River-Great Bay ecosystem