Landowners

Your Land, Your Legacy

There are a multitude of reasons as to why a landowner may want to forever protect their property. Maybe you want to protect your family farm from development or help preserve the scenic landscape of the Ozarks. Whatever your goal may be, NWALT is here to help you achieve it.

Conservation Options

Northwest Arkansas Land Trust offers several conservation options to help landowners permanently protect their land while maintaining private ownership. Every property is different, and our team works closely with landowners to identify conservation tools that align with their goals, land use needs, and long-term vision.

In most cases, NWALT does not purchase land. Instead, our focus is on conservation solutions that allow landowners to retain ownership, continue managing their property, and pass it on to future generations—while safeguarding important natural, agricultural, and scenic resources.

The conservation option we work with most often is a conservation easement, a flexible, legally binding agreement that limits certain types of development while keeping the land in private hands. Easements are tailored to each property and landowner and remain in effect in perpetuity.

Along with conservation easements, the following are additional conservation options available to landowners.

Conservation Easements
A conservation easement is a legal agreement between the landowner and the land trust that limits certain mutually agreed upon uses of the land in order to protect its conservation values. Landowners continue to own and manage their land. The property can be sold or passed on to heirs. An easement may apply to all or a portion of the property and does not require public access. The terms of the conservation easement stay with the deed and are upheld by the land trust in perpetuity.
Fee Simple
Fee-simple is the outright purchase or donation of the land. The landowner sells or donates all rights, title and interest in the property to the land trust, and the land trust takes responsibility for the management of the property and the protection of its conservation values in perpetuity. Landowners who live on the property may choose to exclude their home and surrounding property as a “residential envelope” from the donation. Another option is to establish a “reserved life estate” when the landowner will continue living on and using their donated land for their lifetime. A landowner may also choose to donate their land through a trust agreement with the land trust named as beneficiary.
Planned Gifts
A landowner may choose to leave their land to a land trust through their will or estate plan. This allows the land trust to take ownership and protect the property after the landowner’s lifetime, ensuring lasting conservation.
Bargain Sales
In a bargain sale, the landowner sells the land to the land trust for less than its fair market value. This provides both financial return to the landowner and a charitable donation benefit, while enabling the land trust to conserve the property at a reduced cost.
Rights of First Refusal
A landowner grants the land trust the opportunity to purchase the property before it is sold to another buyer. This agreement helps ensure the land trust has a chance to conserve the land if it becomes available for sale.

Success Stories

Protected Land

See all of our Conservation Easement Announcements

Farmland Conservation

Protecting Local Family Farms

Small farms have and always will be integral to the identity of Northwest Arkansas. As the population in NWA grows and open spaces are converted to other uses, NWALT stays committed to working with willing landowners to protect working farms. We partner with interested landowners to develop conservation easements that safeguard their land while addressing their financial goals.

No two agricultural conservation easements are the same.  Each is tailored to the desires of the landowner and the unique characteristics of the land.  The landowner retains ownership and use of the property; NWALT is not involved in daily operations of your farm.

What are the benefits?

The peace of mind that comes with knowing your family farm will remain a farm, forever.

A way to keep the family farm intact through inheritances or other ownership changes.

A potential infusion of cash for farming operations, debt reduction, or other uses.

A potential reduction in property and estate taxes.

Ready to preserve
your legacy?

FAQs

Is the Land Trust a government agency?
No. The land trust is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
Are land trusts a new thing?
No. There are over 1,700 land trusts working to save land across the country. Some have been around for more than 50 years.
Why would a landowner want to conserve their land?
Many landowners value the benefits of land conservation for current and future generations, including preservation of wildlife habitat, the history and rural character of our community, and protection of water quality and the local economy. Though conservation easements limit the development potential of the land, conserving land often protects property values into the future.
What is a conservation easement?
A conservation easement is a legal agreement between the landowner and the land trust that places certain agreed-upon restrictions on land uses that would have a negative impact on the conservation values of the land. For example, a conservation easement protects the land from being subdivided and developed. They can also ensure that a property is made available for public use, although public access is not required.
What is a land preserve?
Preserves are properties either owned by the Land Trust or our partners which are open to the public for outdoor recreation and education and are permanently protected by the Land Trust.
Is there a minimum acreage the Land Trust will conserve?
No. Properties are considered based on their conservation value, not on size alone.
Does the Land Trust purchase easements?
The land trust does not currently have ready funding to buy land or easements, but may on occasion work with community partners to fund the purchase of significant lands.
How is the Land Trust funded?
The Northwest Arkansas Land Trust is a nonprofit organization reliant on support from individual donors, foundations, corporate sponsors and community partners. Membership matters.
Does the Land Trust purchase land?
The land trust does not currently have ready funding to buy land or easements, but may on occasion work with community partners to fund the purchase of significant lands.
What does it mean to be accredited?
Being accredited through the Land Trust Alliance means we follow strict land trust standards and practices. It is a mark of distinction, showing that a land trust meets high standards for land conservation. It sends a message to landowners and supporters: “Invest in us. We are a strong, effective organization you can trust to conserve your land forever.”
Are volunteer opportunities available?
Yes! Whether you are interested in leading hikes, working on the land or helping in the office, we welcome your gift of time! We can also accommodate corporate volunteering. Contact us to learn more.
Are Land Trust properties open to the public?
Yes, some of the properties the land trust conserves are open to the public and we continually seek new projects suitable for public use. In addition, the land trust provides regular opportunities to get outdoors, including guided field trips, school trips, citizen science projects, volunteer days and recreational outings. Contact us for more information!
How can I support your work?
We appreciate a variety of support from the community. Donating land or an easement to the land trust will help our core mission. In addition, one of the best ways to help is to support us financially – click here to make a donation! We also need volunteers to help with office tasks, habitat cleanups and even photography!

How Does The NWA Land Trust Promise Perpetual Conservation?

Each conservation easement includes a contribution to a dedicated Stewardship Fund. This fund is carefully managed and invested to provide long-term income that supports annual monitoring, recordkeeping, and any necessary legal defense to uphold the terms of the easement. NWALT also maintains a separate Legal Defense Fund to ensure that we have the resources to respond to any violations or legal challenges in perpetuity.

Our stewardship team conducts annual monitoring visits to every conserved property to ensure that conservation values are being maintained. We build strong relationships with landowners, offering guidance on land management practices and ensuring that the intent of each conservation easement is honored for generations to come.

What Landowners Have to Say

Build Your Legacy

The Northwest Arkansas Land Trust works with each individual landowner to establish a conservation plan that works best for them. The two most common options are conservation easements and land donations.

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