Creative Conservation -- Beyond land purchases: other creative ways to protect land
Sometimes the lands we'd like to protect aren't for sale. As a nonprofit, Sempervirens Fund has many methods of creating "win-win conservation contracts" that benefit the landowners and the general public
Conservation Easements
Sempervirens Fund has negotiated conservation easements that allow us to protect some aspect of the property -- maybe the trees or the development rights -- without buying the property itself. Such easements effectively allow us to ensure that the redwoods on a given property will never be cut. The land owner can live on the property or sell the property, as long as the protective terms of the easement are met.
Trail Easements
We have also worked with private landowners to create trail easements that allow public access that wouldn't otherwise be possible. In one case, following 15 years of negotiation, we were able to reach an agreement that created a brand new trail across private lands owned by Redtree Properties L.P. This trail, named the Basin Trail, connects Big Basin Redwoods State Park with Pescadero Creek County Park to the north. It was the critical piece needed to create a new hiking/horseback riding trail loop that connects open space district lands with county and state parks.
Gifts of Real Estate
Owners of woodland parcels in the Santa Cruz Mountains frequently contact Sempervirens Fund to find out if they can preserve and protect their property in perpetuity by donating it to us. Sometimes this can work, if the parcel is suitable for use as future parkland. But even if unsuitable -- it may be poorly located or overdeveloped, for example -- it may still make sense for the owner to donate it to Sempervirens Fund. The owner can receive a tax-deduction for the fair market value of the land, and Sempervirens Fund can sell the property to raise money to buy new parklands.

Sempervirens Fund accepts gifts of many types of real estate:
  • redwood acreage
  • commercial/industrial property
  • income property
  • residential property
  • vacation property
In addition, Sempervirens Fund works with owners of potential parkland properties to create land use agreements that can protect the land in perpetuity and provide public recreational access while still allowing the property owner to live on the land.
Contact Us -- If you're a property owner with an interest in redwood conservation, please contact us by e-mail or by calling 650-968-4509 and asking to speak to our Executive Director for details.
More Creativity -- Many other avenues exist for supporting Sempervirens Fund's redwood preservation work. For details, click on any of the following links: Gifts of Stock, or Bequests, or Estate Planning. We're looking forward to helping you think creatively about making a 'win-win' contract for conservation.
Donate Now --You can send a tax-deductible contribution to Sempervirens Fund right now. Online. Make it happen. Just click on "Donate Now."
Sempervirens Fund is a nonprofit public charity meeting the requirements of IRS 501(c)(3) and the Public Benefit Corporation Law of the State of California.