Landowner Services

Our goal is to provide specialized expertise to landowners and/or land managers to outline property goals, develop a land management plan, and assist with the implementation of the plan to meet their objectives. We offer a wide variety of services including wildlife surveys, botanical surveys, drone imagery, mapping services, conservation easement services, etc. We help landowners understand the benefits of donated conservation easements and assist landowners through each step of the planning, management, and donation process, when looking to permanently protect their property from development or other land conversion.

Introductory Consulting

Every project usually starts with a phone call and a map. Our experienced staff will discuss the needs or goals for the property with the landowner and determine what services are needed. The services we provide range from general land management assistance to in-depth conservation easements and wildlife surveys. If the landowner is interested in conservation easements, we can provide a preliminary evaluation of the land for a conservation easement donation, answer preliminary questions you may have about why people chose to make these donations, and what organizations accept them.

Conservation Easement Services

Landowners interested in conservation easements can reach out to a conservation easement holder directly, or to consultants like us who can give basic information about the process (See Conservation Easement Basics for more information). We can provide a preliminary evaluation of the land for a conservation easement donation, answer preliminary questions you may have about why people chose to make these donations, and what organizations accept them. If you are interested in working with a consultant that can walk you through each stage of the conservation easement donation process, our staff can help to manage and coordinate the following steps in the process. Or, if you only need assistance with the preparation of specific documents to complete your planned conservation easement donation, we can work with you to create individual documents such as a baseline documentation report or a wildlife survey.

We can walk you through each step of the conservation easement donation process. From finding the right professionals to writing and gathering the necessary documents.

  • Finding the Right Conservation Easement Holder
  • How to Plan for Perpetuity
  • Negotiating and Crafting the Terms
  • Site Visits and Documentation
  • Manage Title and Survey Work
  • Coordinate Lien Subordination and Mineral Leases
Learn More Here

  • Site Visit – Visit the property to observe the Conservation Values and to discuss the landowner’s goals and objectives.
  • Qualified Holder – Assist in the selection of a land trust or other qualified conservation easement holder that will be the recipient and long-term steward of the landowner’s donation of the conservation easement.
  • Conservation Easement – Based upon conservation values observed in the field, our staff is able to assist with the negotiation of the terms of the conservation easement based upon the landowner and holder’s goals.
  • Baseline Documentation – Site visit and complete ecological inventory of landscape. This report documents the current conditions and unique conservation values of properties intended for protection under a conservation easement, as required by IRS regulations on qualified conservation easement donation. Our conservation specialists will review the text and maps with the landowner and holder to ensure that they accurately represent the existing features and future goals for the property.
  • Advanced Baseline Documentation – We have the expertise to produce documentation over and above industry standard. This includes more in-depth reporting of the property including additional site visits intended to capture the property in different seasons, drone imagery when applicable, lengthier ecological sections, and additional or more in-depth property information sections (e.g. Resilience to impacts of climate change, Potential threats to ecological integrity, Problems affecting wildlife diversity, Coastal resources, etc.).
  • Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) – Our staff can research the current and historical uses of a property in order to see if those activities could pose a threat to the environment and/or human health and provide the associated documentation.
  • Title – Our staff can work with you to obtain a survey, legal description, and title certificate, as necessary.
  • Lien Subordination – Assist in the management of mortgage subordination of existing debts or other incumbrances, if necessary.
  • Mineral Leases – Should the property have existing mineral encumbrances on record, we can work with landowners to quiet the title or engage a geology professional to create a ‘So-Remote’ report, if necessary and feasible.
  • Land Management Plans, Restoration Plans, and Plan Updates – We can create land management plans, restoration plans, and plan updates for a property based upon landowner objectives and the terms of existing conservation easements.
  • Current Condition Reporting – Our staff is able to conduct site visits and produce a current condition report that can supplement the baseline documentation report in the event that a property has undergone significant change, or if the baseline documentation report is lacking key information. We often find that this is the case for properties that were protected when the land trust or qualified government entity was in its infancy, before standards were set, or following catastrophic events such as hurricanes or tornados. This can also be helpful during the transfer process to a new landowner.

Land Management Services

In addition to the individual easement donation services above, we offer a wide array of services to assist with general land management as well as special projects.

  • Land Management Plans and Updated Plans – We can create land management plans for a property based upon the landowner objectives.
  • Restoration Plans, Plan Updates, and Monitoring Services – These plans are designed to benefit the wildlife and fish species, basic upon historic natural communities. This could include prairie restoration, shrubland restoration, native upland habitats, wetland and riparian habitats, removing barriers to fish passage, and other activities that can guide a landowner/land manager in improving a degraded site. Long term monitoring services are also available.
  • Landscape Scale Planning – MTM staff can work with landowners to develop a holistic approach to landscape scale planning and management; aiming to reconcile the competing objectives of environmental conservation and economic activities across multiple properties owned by the landowner.
  • Hunt and Agricultural Leases – Our staff can assist landowners in creating, marketing, and managing leases on their properties.
  • Mapping Services – We can provide clear and comprehensive custom maps and spatial analysis services utilizing GIS and associated software packages. This can include the creation and management of a GIS database that includes multiple properties with varying land uses. This can be customized to your uses and interests and include anything from irrigation coverage and timber harvest timelines, to basic roads and food fields or historical landmarks and wildlife sightings.  
  • Drone Imagery – Multiple MTM staff hold a commercial FAA Part 107 UAV license and provide aerial photography, videography, and land mapping services using drones. Products include high-resolution orthophotos, 3D models, and digital surface models for use in GIS and CAD.
  • Cost Share Program Applications Enrollment – We can assist landowners in researching and applying for cost share programs.
  • Wildlife Surveys – Our staff can complete wildlife surveys in order to document the occurrence of wildlife species on a property. Our biological staff have experience with many different techniques and technologies that are available.
For more in-depth information on Wildlife Surveys, Click here!

*Note: We cannot guarantee that there will not be an audit of the conservation easement, or that the conservation easement donation will qualify for a federal tax deduction and/or state tax credits. We will offer the best professional advice available to ensure the conservation easement and accompanying documents are accurate and in compliance with federal, state and local laws and best management practices.

** Note this is not a substitution for review of an appraisal report by another qualified appraiser, nor is this a guarantee of the accuracy of the valuation determined by the appraiser(s). We are not appraisers qualified to determine the value of a conservation easement but we do have extensive experience reviewing conservation easement appraisal reports and IRS Form 8283 for consistency with the conservation easement documents.