Conservation of Coastal Alabama A Land Conservation Presentation

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2 Conservation of Coastal Alabama A Land Conservation Presentation Little Lagoon Preservation Society October 20 th, 2016 Gulf Shores Activity Center Gulf Shores Alabama

3 Pelican Coast Conservancy Mission Statement The mission of the Pelican Coast Conservancy is to provide 21 st century solutions and sound scientific applications for conservation of critical natural resources in the face of a changing climate focusing on environmental restoration, preservation, and conservation efforts throughout the Gulf Coast region with specific utilization of geographic information systems applications in land conservation, ecosystem services, carbon sequestration and conservation biology.

4 What is a Land Trust? A land trust is a private, nonprofit qualified organization that actively works to conserve land by undertaking or assisting with direct land transactions primarily the purchase or acceptance of donations of land or conservation easements actively works to conserve and protect land by undertaking or assisting in land or conservation easement acquisition, or by its stewardship of such land or easements.

5 Land Trust The Atlantic Coast Conservancy/Pelican Coast Conservancy have adapted and implemented the Land Trust Alliance s Standards & Practices. The S & P are the guidelines for operation of a land trust. There are over 1,500 land trusts in the U.S. that have protected over 9.5 million acres

6 Types of Landowner Conservation Tools: LAND DONATION BARGAIN SALE OF LAND CONSERVATION EASEMENT

7 Conservation Easement A Conservation Easement is a permanent restriction placed on a piece of land by a willing land owner. The easement is generally held by a government agency or a non governmental organization (NGO) (ex Atlantic Coast Conservancy) The easement permanently limits the use of land in order to protect its conservation values.

8 In 2015, Congress made permanent the federal tax incentive for conservation easement donations, helping thousands of landowners conserve their land. Raises the deduction a donor can take for donating a conservation easement from 30 percent of his or her income in any year to 50 percent; Allows qualifying farmers and ranchers to deduct up to 100 percent of their income; and Extends the carry-forward period for a donor to take tax deductions for a voluntary conservation agreement from 5 to 15 years.

9 Land Types of easements : Working forest Wetlands Farm and ranchland (working lands) Scenic View Historical Significance Note: Each easement is unique

10 Due Diligence Conservation Easement Stewardship Endowment Title Work Mortgage Subordination Geologist Remoteness Report Easement Drafting Baseline Documentation Report Forest Management Plan Appraisal Closing

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15 Forever Wild Scoring Information NP Evaluation Scores: 70.5 on-site SP Evaluation Scores: 58.7 on-site The Laguna Cove tract lies within the Gulf Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes of the Southern Coastal Plain Ecoregion. The tract is comprised of Mississippi Sound Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh, East Gulf Coastal Plain Dune and Coastal Grassland, and Unconsolidated Shore (Beach/Dune). This tract is in the vicinity of threatened and state protected species such as Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus), Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), Common Ground-dove (Columbina passerina), and American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos), Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis), Alabama beach mouse, (Peromyscus polionotus ammobates). This nomination is a relatively large parcel in Alabama s more developed near-beach communities. In addition to serving as a Nature Preserve protecting habitats including those listed above, this tract offers Currently on the Forever Wild Short List This tract was originally nominated in July of 2012 Yellow Book Appraisal ordered by Forever Wild Board August 2016

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20 Photo by Chan West Questions Questions?

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