Bonnie Kreitler
Kreitler Media Services
203-254-9230
bkreitler@kreitlermediaservices.com

Anson W.H. Taylor, Jr., president and chairman of the board of the Equestrian Land
Conservation Resource advises that horse business owners who want to explore how they might use conservation easements to protect their land from development contact their local land trust. "That's where they can get some free advice," he says. The land trust can put things in focus for the individual, help them figure out if the donation or sale of a conservation easement or development rights or some combination may be useful for them, and suggest what others have been able to do.

To find a land trust in your area, click on "Find a Land Trust" at the Land Trust Alliance's web site www.lta.org then click on the appropriate state to find a list of the trusts working there. Massachusetts, California and Connecticut each have over 100 trusts laboring to preserve open space. While other states have fewer, there are trusts in every state.

Most land trusts have a very specific mission. Their founders may want to protect and preserve a particular natural land feature or watershed. They may be concerned about disappearing agricultural land, wildlife habitat, or other specific types of open space. They may be dedicated to keeping trails in a particular area open to the public as the land is developed. The first step in working with a land trust is finding one with goals that align with your own and a philosophy that is horse friendly.

You may be fortunate enough to find a group like The Bluegrass Conservancy which was established to preserve the rural resources of Kentucky's Bluegrass region including its equestrian heritage. Not every land trust, however, is necessarily horse friendly. Talk with other landowners and agricultural businesses in your area to see if they have had any experience with trust officials. Contact the Equestrian Land Conservation Resource - P.O. Box 423, Elizabeth, IL 61028-0423; 815-858-3501; info@elcr.org - www.elcr.org to see if they have had any experience with the trust.

ELCR points out that the operative word in their name is "resource." They exist to help other conservation groups understand the viewpoint and needs of equestrians. They have sample easement documents and equestrian-oriented educational materials that may be useful when approaching local land trusts with no experience with horse properties. Consider them one of your best allies and a definite "first stop" when you start thinking about conservation easements.

Not every land trust is interested in every piece of open space. Horse business owners who want to partner with land trusts to help achieve their goals need to be aware of the primary goal of any trust they approach. The 1263 respondents to a 2000 land trust census indicated that they were primarily interested in these types of land (note that the list totals more than 100 percent because many trusts indicated they were interested in more than one category).

Type of Land	Number of Trusts
Wetlands	52%
River Corridors	51%
Watersheds/Water Quality	47%
Farmland/Ranchland	46%
Nature Preserves	45%
Open Space (other)	43%
Endangered Species Habitat	42%
Scenic Views	34%
Recreational Trails	27%
Historic	24%
Coastal Resources	18%
Timberland	14%
Urban Open Space	10%

SOURCE: 2000 Land Trust Census by the Land Trust Alliance www.lta.org

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THE RYAN FARM

The Ryan Farm on Shelter Island at the eastern tip of Long Island is an example of how a landowner and a land trust can work together to achieve mutual goals. In the 1960s, Dr. Barney Ryan purchased some 80 acres on Shelter Island which he used as a second home and farmed for part-time income. In the 1980s, he began leasing part of the land for a horse boarding operation.

When Dr. Ryan decided to get his affairs in order several years ago, he was concerned about potential development on the farm. He went to the Peconic Land Trust to discuss his goals. He wanted equity from the land but he didn't want to get it all at once. He wanted to see the farm remain in as much open space as possible. He also wanted to be able to continue living there as long as possible and he wanted his children to be able to live there as well.

The land trust shared Ryan's goal of preserving open space, particularly because Shelter Island has an aquifer which is it's sole source of water. Anything that controls housing growth protects the aquifer notes Hoot Sherman, director of public programs for the Peconic Land Trust. The lessees wanted to be able to continue their business. The boarders wanted to be able to enjoy the farm's services and ambiance.

It took some head scratching, pencil pushing, hours of planning meetings with the lessees and boarders, and countless hours of talking and negotiating with the town planning board. Eventually, however, the land trust was able to put together a win-win package. The farm's boarders formed a limited liability corporation that gave the project a mechanism to buy out Dr. Ryan's interest in the land and transfer it to the land trust. The land trust work with the town to get the necessary subdivision plans approved.

In the end, the project had something for everyone. Dr. Ryan got the equity out of his land, 5 acres for himself to live on, and two 1-acre building lots for his children. The limited liability corporation wound up with five saleable building lots and 63 acres protected from suburban encroachment by the sale of agricultural development rights. A conservation easement placed on 50 of those 63 acres protected a beautiful vista to satisfy one of the town's needs. The town also got an agreement that four of the LLC's five building lots would be used for affordable housing to help keep young families on the island. The lessees stayed in business and the boarders stayed in their stalls.

"Everybody worked really hard at making it work," says Sherman. "Everybody gave a little." But the end result was something for everyone and proof that creeping development does not need to mean the end for horse businesses in the suburbs.

Bonnie Kreitler
Kreitler Media Services
203-254-9230
bkreitler@kreitlermediaservices.com

--2003