Three New Conservation Easement Guides From WeConservePA Address Carbon Issues

Three new guides are now available from WeConservePA addressing carbon issues in conservation easements--

-- Addressing Climate Change and Carbon Sequestration in Conservation Easements: The reality of climate change brought on by increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere presents challenges to conservation practitioners. 

This guide examines how conservation easements may be better planned to deliver good conservation outcomes even as a changing climate affects the physical conditions on the land. 

The guide also reviews opportunities to boost carbon sequestration on lands under easement.

-- The Intersection of Carbon Offsets and Conservation Easements: A number of carbon offset programs are problematic. Nevertheless, it is sensible to ensure that newly drafted grants of conservation easement clearly permit offset projects (whether or not such projects ever materialize). 

-- Carbon Rights and Assignment of Carbon Credit Sale Proceeds: Providing Conservation Easement Holders the Potential to Receive Carbon-Related Benefits. The possibility of granting carbon rights to the easement holder may be considered during the development of a conservation easement. 

This presents substantial complexity that can be avoided by instead giving the holder control over the entity that may receive carbon credits or assigning to the holder some or all of the proceeds of sale of carbon credits.

These new guides are available for download from the WeConservePA Conservation Tools webpage.

WeConservePA welcomes suggestions for additions, corrections, and other improvements to this body of guidance. Please share your thoughts with Robert Campbell at rcampbell@WeConservePA.org. 

For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the WeConservePA website, Click Here to sign up for regular updates from WeConservePA, Like them on Facebook, and Follow them on Twitter.  Click Here to support their work.

The 2024 PA Land Conservation Conference will be held April 3-5 in Bethlehem.

More than 107,000 Pennsylvanians contribute to local land trusts.

Related Article:

-- WeConservePA: In Their Own Words, 15 Essays By Individuals Who Made The Choice To Permanently Conserve Their Land  [PaEN] 

[Posted: August 24, 2023]  PA Environment Digest