St. Croix Watershed Protection Program Application

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 St. Croix Watershed 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.