Land Conservation

As the North Texas population grows rapidly, land and water resources face pressure from development, stressing wildlife populations and agriculture production.

protects the quality of drinking water sources, provides habitat for fish and wildlife, and preserves agriculture and family heritage. In Texas, approximately 83% of land is privately-owned, meaning landowners have a critical role in protecting the state’s natural resources.

The Upper Trinity Conservation Trust seeks to assist landowners who wish to safeguard their land for future generations through conservation easements. The Trust also partners with other agencies and organizations in

that promote good stewardship and land management practices.

Landowners who place a conservation easement on their land can enjoy several benefits: permanent protection of agricultural land and/or wildlife habitat, scenic views, and potential estate tax and income tax relief.

When conservation easements are placed on open lands, every North Texan benefits as well. Keeping these lands undeveloped preserves wildlife habitat, maintains agricultural production, improves the quality of

, and reduces flooding. In fact, the Texas Land Trust Council found that the 1.6 million acres of Texas lands currently under conservation easement provide more than .