In 2009, Rainforest Biodiversity Group expanded its project base to include land trust work by accepting the donation of a conservation easement on a nearly 300 acre property on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica between Quepos and Domincal. See map below.
What is a conservation easement? The most traditional tool for conserving private land, a “conservation easement” is a legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust or government agency that permanently limits uses of the land in order to protect its conservation values. It allows landowners to continue to own and use their land, and they can also sell it or pass it on to heirs.
As the holder of the easement, Rainforest Biodiversity Group (RBG) has made the commitment to protect in perpetuity the conservation purposes outlined within the easement agreement. These include the following:
1. To protect the relatively natural habitat of fish, wildlife and plants
2. To preserve open space
3. To protect scenic values; and
4. To maintain the natural ecological processes and function of the tropical forest
To ensure the integrity of the conservation purposes of this property, RBG is required to monitor the property at least once every 12 months and will make detailed reports after each visit. This will ensure that the detailed terms of the conservation easement are not violated.
In the future we hope to help facilitate connecting area with other nearby reserves. Not 10 kilometers away is the famed Hacienda Baru National Wildlife Refuge and Lodge which protects 81
5 acres of habitat!
To guide RBG in this new endeavor, the organization has retained a knowledgeable lawyer on conservation easements as well as become a member of the Land Trust Alliance. The Land Trust Alliance (LTA) is comprised of more than 1,600 land trusts across the United States and works to promote voluntary private land conservation to benefit communitiesand natural systems.The LTA has more than 25 years of experience ineffectively and permanently protecting the most valued natural resources across America.
Holding, monitoring, and enforcing a conservation easement requires a strong and sustainable organization. You can help this important initiative with your financial contribution. This is a big step forward for the Rainforest Biodiversity Group, and we hope that our members and friends will support this work. We welcome your generous tax-deductible gift designated for this project.
Please use our secure paypal account to make a donation by clicking on the button below, or send a check to Rainforest BiodiversityGroup at 7 N. Pinckney Street, Suite 220, Madison, WI 53703, with Conservation Easement in the memo portion.
