Blufflands Protection Program Application

Funds to protect high quality wildlife habitat across the Blufflands of Southeastern Minnesota have been made available through grants provided through Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund. Please contact Mark Van der Linden at mvanderlinden@mnland.org with questions.

Completed applications will be prioritized by the Land Trust based on a competitive bid method which considers the ecological value and the amount a landowner would like to receive in compensation. Payment to a landowner for a purchased conservation easement is made upon finalizing a conservation easement with the Minnesota Land Trust.

Blufflands Protection Program Application

Person Completing Questionnaire*
Your name
Your Email*
Are you the property owner?*
- Yes
- No
What is your relationship to the property owner?*
Your contact information
Because you are not the property owner, please provide your contact information so that we can get in touch with you.
Your Address
Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code
Your Email
Your Phone
Property Owner's Contact Information
Please provide the contact information for the property owner.
Owner's Name*
Legal property owner(s).
Owner's Address*
Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code
Owner's Email
Owner's Phone
Property Location
Property Address
County
Total Acreage
Please enter a number greater than or equal to 0.
Acreage to be Protected
Please enter a number greater than or equal to 0.
Parcel or Tax ID Numbers
These can usually be found on a recent property tax bill.
Nearby Protected Lands
Other Location Notes
Land Cover & Description
Vegetation and Habitat Types
Please describe the habitat on the property. For example: “80 acres of mixed oak forest, 5 acres cultivated fields, 20 acres of restored prairie.”
Wildlife
What sorts of animals live or visit your property? Have any unusual or rare species been seen by you or others?
Water Features
Are there wetlands? Is there shoreline on a lake, river, or stream? If so, approximately how much?
Existing Improvements
Please describe relevant buildings, roads, utilities, and other similar improvements.
Current Land Uses
Please describe current land uses such as full-time residential, gardening, grazing, CRP, farming, hunting, forestry, etc. Please describe any use by the general public such as public trails.
History
Please provide any known historical uses or relevant history of your property
Project Goals
What are your motivations for working with the Land Trust to protect your land?
Please briefly describe your personal goals for this project.
Future Objectives
Please briefly describe your future objectives for the property, including future management or uses.
Timeline Constraints
Are there any potential deadlines or time constraints for completion of this project?
Are you willing to donate all or some of the value of this conservation easement?*
There are limited funds available to support compensation for conservation easements. Donating the value is not a requirement, but we are able to conserve more habitat across the region if landowners are able to donate some or all of the easement value.
- Yes - I am willing and able to donate
- No - I am not willing or able to donate
- Partial - I am willing to consider a partial donation
What is your proposed payment per acre?*
If not proposing to donate the full value of the easement, please share your payment per acre bid for compensation. We cannot pay more than the full appraised value of the conservation easement. Typically that will be 20% to 40% of the county-assessed value of the land.
Please read each of the following statements.

About the Program
- A conservation easement will place permanent restrictions on the land to benefit long-term conservation. The landowner may sell or transfer the property to any person or entity, but these restrictions will travel with the land and permanently encumber the land.
- Once completed, some information pertaining to the conservation easement project will be available to the public since State funds are being used.
- For this application to be eligible, the property must meet the Requirements to Apply listed on page 3 of the attached Southeast Blufflands Protection Program brochure.
Payments
- Payment for a conservation easement is contingent on funding from the sources listed in the program brochure and approval of the conservation easement by the Minnesota Land Trust’s Board of Directors
- The Land Trust cannot compensate landowners for more than the full appraised value of the conservation easement.
- Any payment received may have tax consequences. If the conservation easement or a portion of it is donated, the donation may be considered a charitable contribution for tax purposes.
Title & Legal Issues
- Good and marketable title to the land is required and any objectionable title defects must be corrected at the landowner’s expense. Any outstanding mortgages or lines of credit will need to be subordinated to the conservation easement.
- Any payment received for a conservation easement may have tax consequences. If some or all of the value of the conservation easement is donated to the Land Trust, the donation may be considered a charitable contribution for tax purposes. Consult your attorney or tax accountant.
- The Land Trust will help guide landowners through the process of the conservation easement project, but it cannot provide any legal or tax advice. Landowners are encouraged to obtain legal advice. The cost of retaining an attorney or other advisors is the landowner’s expense.
*
- I certify that I have read, understand, and agree to each of the above statements and all associated information in the SRW Protection & Restoration Program brochure. I also certify that the information I provided above represents an accurate description of the property, and that all owners of the property are in agreement with this submitted application and bid. Finally, I certify that I have the authority to submit this bid on behalf of the owners of the property being put forward.
Printed name*
Date submitted*
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Blufflands Protection Program Application