Common Ground A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
Allison DeFoor, President & CEO THIS GUIDE WRITTEN BY Ramesh Buch, Director of Conservation Acquisitions Heather Nagy, Strategic Initiatives Manager Will Wanzenberg, Associate Acquisitions Coordinator A SPECIAL THANK YOU The North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) gratefully acknowledges the support of the Live Wildly Foundation for this project. NFLT also acknowledges the time and contributions of Alachua County Commissioner Ms. Anna Prizzia, Mr. Avery Roberts, CEO of the Roberts Companies, Clay County Assistant County Manager Ms. Chereese Stewart, Mr. Tim Telfer, Chief of Conservation Acquisition for Volusia County, and Ms. Margaret Kirkland, Chair, Conserve Nassau. NFLT also extends its appreciation to Mr. Zach Franco, Conservation Partnerships Coordinator at Archbold Biological Research Station. Finally, we salute all the land conservation professionals, advocates, elected officials, and especially landowners who work to make the map a little greener for future generations. THANK YOU!
Find your place on the planet. Dig in and take responsibility from there. GARY SNYDER
Greenprinting
Definition: An adaptable, collaborative, strategic approach that reveals the range of benefits nature provides a community and suggests ways that a community can protect or enhance those benefits. It engages government, stakeholders, partners, and the community and uses the best available science to identify multiple-benefit nature-based solutions for decision-makers. These solutions can range from conserving natural or working lands and protecting drinking water, to supporting rural economies, restoring habitat to protect wildlife, expanding urban forests, and designing parks to improve community health.
Guide Summary
In his essay What Are People For?, Wendell Berry wrote, “You cannot know who you are until you know where you are.” A Greenprint allows a community to preserve place as a part of their identity. Through the process of Greenprinting, communities can identify strong land conservation projects, evaluate them effectively, and manage their acquisition and long-term stewardship. Most importantly, it empowers residents to feel confident in the decisions being made. NFLT employs a line-of-sight model to help communities establish a clear and achievable path toward building a portfolio of well-managed lands that reflect local values, one that is ecologically, politically, and financially sustainable.
1 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
It is important to note, when we refer to land conservation projects in Florida, we are only discussing willing-seller, voluntarily-negotiated, arm’s-length transactions that are based on market valuations of property.
CONSERVATION VALUES HEAT MAP Orange Park Lakeside
A TYPICAL NFLT GREENPRINT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS: • Stakeholder meetings with local officials to develop an inventory of existing expertise, document libraries, best practices, needs, and opportunities. • Interviews with subject matter experts to develop an inventory of resource needs and begin to identify potential conservation values. • Meetings with Commissioners to build consensus on the direction of a potential land conservation program and to identify the conservation values of the Commission. • Community engagement, including public workshops to shape the program’s values and outcomes, and polling of citizens and likely voters, to understand community conservation values, priorities, and willingness to support public funding. • An online survey tool for those who cannot attend live workshops so they can also learn about the proposal and provide input • A comprehensive Final Report, offering program recommendations, a model program description, draft enabling legislation, and sample referendum language.
St. Johns Fruit Cove
Middleburg
Penney Farms
Green Cove Springs
Keystone Heights
is to identify the conservation values the community wants to protect—and therefore see represented in the portfolio of acquired property.
NOTES: • In this document, Key Principles are in Bold Text. • The highest level of legislative authority in a local community in Florida is typically a Commission or Council. We use the term “Commission” throughout to generically refer to these legislative bodies.
What do we mean when we say Conservation Values? These are the characteristics of a piece of land that generates some type of benefit the public values. As illustrated in Figure 2, open spaces offer a wide range of benefits that enhance a community’s quality of life. Historically, conservation values were narrowly defined as ecological: natural resources, wildlife biodiversity, or habitat. However, over time, these values have been broadened to recognize the importance of outdoor recreation, cultural and historic resources, farms and ranches, storm protection, flood control, aquifer recharge, water quality improvement, and buffering military bases from encroachment. If programs are established in a well-thought-out manner, the community can fully reap the benefits conservation lands provide, forever. None of these benefits are guaranteed. If we do
Greenprinting 101
A Greenprint is a specialized form of strategic conservation planning. At its core, it is a tool that helps a Commission identify, prioritize, and pursue natural, agricultural, and cultural resources for conservation. Like any effective tool, it must be tailored to the task at hand. In this case, the plan needs to identify and prioritize the land based on inputs from the community. It follows then that the necessary first step
2 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
B E N E F I TS O F L A N D CO N S E R VAT I O N
BENEFITS OF LAND CONSERVATION BENEFITS OF LAND BENEFITS OF LAND CONSERVATION Restores & Preserves CONSERVATION
Keeps Farms in Farming Keeps Farms in Farming Keeps Farms in Farming
Protects Storm & Flood Protection Protects Storm & Flood Protection Protects Storm & Flood Protection
Natural Habitats Restores & Preserves Natural&Habitats Restores Preserves Natural Habitats
Conserves Wildlife Conserves Wildlife Conserves Wildlife
Buffers Military Installations Buffers Military Installations Buffers Military Installations
ENHANCED ENHANCED QUALITY ENHANCED QUALITY OF LIFE QUALITY OF LIFE OF LIFE
Protects & Recharges Protects Water & Recharges Supplies& Protects Water Recharges Supplies Water Supplies Creates Areas
not protect the lands that generate Recreation For example,for one may Creates Areascare about Generates these benefits, they will degrade for Recreation Amenity Value both recreation andAreas water quality Creates FIGURE 2 Generates and disappear forever. formay Recreation protection but prioritize one Amenity Value Generates This distinguishes open space from land FIGURE 2 more strongly. Value conservation, which is the intentional to benefits, Amenity FIGURE 2 2. DEFINE CONSERVATION VALUES: Translate these not protect the lands that generateact these preserve these benefits that come from the land. prioritized benefits into clearly defined conservation they will degrade and disappear This DEFINECONSERVATION CONSERVATION VALUES: not protect the lands that generateforever. these benefits, 2. DEFINE VALUES: Translate these A deeper discussion of the often-invisible connecvalues that reflect what the community wants distinguishes open space from land conservation, 2. DEFINE CONSERVATION VALUES: Translate these not the lands that generateforever. these benefits, Translate these prioritized benefits into clearly theyprotect will degrade and disappear This prioritized benefits into clearly defined conservation tions that people have with open space,these benefits todefined protect. which is the intentional act to preserve prioritized benefits clearly defined conservation they will degrade disappear This conservation that reflect what distinguishes open and space from landforever. conservation, values that reflect into whatvalues the community wants and the benefits they enjoy is included in the that come from the land. The goal of Greenprinting is values that reflect whattothe community wants distinguishes open space from land conservation, community wants protect. which is the intentional act to preserve these benefits tothe protect. essay “Six Degrees of Space”at the enddecision of 3. to APPLY SCIENCE-BASED ANALYSIS: Use scientific for toOpen make fully of informed protect. which is community thefrom intentional actThe toagoal preserve these benefitsis thatyour come the land. Greenprinting this document. The goal of Greenprinting is for data to map where the resources that support the on what its future will look like. Greenprinting helps that come from the land. Theagoal Greenprinting is APPLYSCIENCE-BASED SCIENCE-BASED ANALYSIS: for your community to make fullyof informed decision 3. APPLY ANALYSIS: Use scientific your community to make a fully informed decision identified conservation are located and assess you identify whichwill lands should beinformed conserved with 3. APPLY SCIENCE-BASED ANALYSIS: Use scientific for your community to look make a fully decision Use to scientific data the to values map where the resources on what its future like. Greenprinting helps data map where resources that support the on whatpublic its future will lookand like.funding. Greenprinting helps their significance. If protecting water quality is limited resources data map where thevalues resources that support the on its future look like. Greenprinting thatto support the identified conservation values youwhat identify whichwill lands should be conserved helps with identified conservation are located and assess you identify which lands should be conserved with valued, then land areas that water identified conservation values are located and assess you identify which lands and should be conserved with are located and assess theirinfluence significance. If quality limited public resources funding. their significance. If protecting water quality is limited public resourcesPROCESS: and funding. are identified using credible, science-based data. THE GREENPRINTING their significance. If protecting water quality is limited public resources and funding. protecting quality is valued, then landquality valued, thenwater land areas that influence water 1. THE COMMUNITY: valued, theninfluence land areas thatquality influence quality areas that water are water identified. THEENGAGE GREENPRINTING PROCESS: Begin by conducting are identified using credible, science-based data. THEinterviews GREENPRINTING PROCESS: 4. DEVELOP STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS: and polls of the public, subject matter are identified using credible, science-based data. THE GREENPRINTING PROCESS: Begin by conducting 1. ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY: Finally, provide clear, actionable recommendations experts, community leaders, and Commissioners. 1. ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY: Begin by conducting DEVELOP STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS: interviews and polls of the public, subject matter 4. DEVELOP STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS: on how to best protect these identified conservation This helps determine the relative importance of 4. DEVELOP STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS: interviews and polls of the public, subject matter Begin bycommunity conducting interviews Finally,provide provide clear,actionable actionable recommendaexperts, leaders, andand Commissioners. Finally, clear, recommendations values—ensuring community goals are met with various benefits — relative such asCommissioners. recreation, Finally, provide clear, actionable recommendations experts, community leaders, and pollshelps of public the public, subject matter experts, water tions best protect these identified This determine the importance of on howon to how best to protect these identified conservation quality, or farmland preservation — and gauge the precision and efficiency. on how to best values—ensuring protect these identified This helps determine the relative of community leaders, and conservation community various public benefits —Commissioners. such asimportance recreation, water values—ensuring community goals areconservation met with community’s desire to protect them. For example, one values—ensuring community goals are met various public benefits — such as recreation, water This helps determinepreservation the relative — importance goals areand metefficiency. with precision and efficiency.with quality, or farmland and gauge the precision may care about both recreation and water quality precision and efficiency. quality, or public farmland and gaugeone the of various —them. such— as recreation, community’s desirebenefits topreservation protect For example, protection but may prioritize one more strongly. community’s desire to protect them. For example, one watercare quality, or both farmland preservation — and may about recreation and water quality may care bothprioritize recreation water quality gauge theabout community’s desireone toand protect them. protection but may more strongly. protection but may prioritize one more strongly.
3 3 3 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
CLAY COUNTY
process; one that emphasized determining what their residents’ conservation values and priorities were, and what their tolerance was for providing new funding sources to protect them.
GOOD PLANNING, GREAT RESULTS
NFLT held two workshops with the county commission, three more spread out in the community, and posted the information and a polling tool online so that those who could not attend in person could view the presentation, vote, and be heard. In addition, NFLT’s partner, the Trust for Public Land, polled voters to determine if what we were hearing in the community was truly representative of county voters. TPL’s polling mitigates biases that can arise from group meetings and means the resulting data is highly predictive of the results of the referendum.
In November 2024, Clay County voters approved their new Forests and Farms Program with an approval rate of 72.9%. This referendum approved $45MM in new funding for conserving water quality, agricultural property, and wildlife habitats. Chereese Stewart has served as Clay County’s Assistant County Manager since 2021. She was born and raised in Clay County and witnessed firsthand how her community was changing. With the building of the Beltway though the middle of the county, county leadership decided to explore ways to preserve portions of what made the county special. She had heard about NFLT’s work in Nassau County and sought out advice on whether such a program was possible there.
As Chereese said. “At the end of the day, it needed to be a group effort; we wanted to make sure the right information got to the community so they could make up their minds and then tell us -- the county -- what they wanted us to do. I was thinking we’d pass by 60%. Getting to 73% demonstrated the value in the early planning and community engagement.”
A very conservative community, Clay County leadership insisted on a strategic, measured, and inclusive planning
There is a proven model for developing, launching, and running local conservation programs — what we call the “Line-of-Sight” model. As illustrated in Figure 3, this model aligns the outcomes to the community’s identified conservation values. Simply put, the property conserved must provide the benefits that the community desires, or that they perceive would be lost.
developing an evaluation tool that accurately assesses how well a nominated property meets those conservation goals, and the extent that the desired conservation values are present. For a practical example, refer to the Alachua County Forever sidebar on page 9. Local land conservation programs are typically established through voter referenda for several reasons: • Funding outside of core services: Land conservation, while widely supported, is often considered a “nice-to-have” rather than a core function of
To keep aligned and focused on delivering meaningful outcomes, well-run programs must incorporate several key features. Examples include enshrining the specific conservation values in the program’s enabling legislation,
COMMUNITY DESIRE
NOMINATION EVALUATION TOOL
REFERENDUM LANGUAGE
PORTFOLIO OF PROTECTED LAND FIGURE 3
4 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
THE COMMISSIONER’S PERSPECTIVE
rates when communities buy conservation lands thereby eliminating development in high hazard areas and preserving wetlands.” She recognized that agricultural lands are protected by conservation easements, so they stay private and on the tax rolls, preserving food security, and traditional ways of life. These protected farms open the door for the next generation of farmer who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford the price of land.
Commissioner Anna Prizzia was first elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2024. She said close to 50% of the decisions the Commission makes tie to land use in some way, and 25% related directly to development actions.
Her advice for Commissioners who might be considering starting a program: “Think strategically about what your community wants, structure a program appropriately, and stay in touch with the community as the programs run to meet their needs as they change over time.” Alachua County initially focused on protecting conservation lands. The succeeding referendums added improvements to municipal parks, then preserving farming lands. She keyed in on transparency and accountability and emphasized, “there is a management cost to these lands. Long term, you are going to still own these lands, probably long after that tax is gone. Your liabilities don’t stop at the buying.”
She said support for land conservation crosses the boundaries of conservative, liberal, rural and urban communities. She thinks Commissioners understand protecting land benefits their communities because everyone is connected to it in some way, hiking, hunting, fishing, or farming. People now understand land provides economic benefits like filtering water and air, acting as carbon sink, and mitigating storm effects. It’s why programs pass with an average of over 64% of the vote in Florida since 1999. She recognized some land is taken off the tax rolls, but the majority have agricultural exemptions, and the impact is offset by not having to provide public services. She pointed out that the Community Rating System lowers home and business owners’ insurance
“Overall,” she said about land conservation, “you can fly multiple kites with one string. I think it’s a win-win. For you and for the community.”
5 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
•
•
government. As such, fiscal prudence and Commission fiduciary responsibilities require them to find funding for it that does not negatively impact their core services. Referenda are typically used to determine the public’s tolerance for additional taxes, and all of Florida’s local land conservation programs were established pursuant to referenda. Public mandate and long-term legitimacy: A referendum provides the strongest possible public mandate, instilling confidence and trust in the program. This legitimacy extends to the staff and Commissioners as they implement the program, requiring their adherence to the principles and values in the voter-approved language. It may take years to fully implement, transcending the tenures of elected officials and staff. Because the program is voter-approved, it carries a lasting legacy. Maximizing voter participation: Referendums should be run during high-turnout elections —typically a Presidential or mid-term election year. This timing allows most voters to participate and overcomes any objections from those who do not participate except in these important years.
In Florida, land conservation and open space referendums are consistently successful. Since 1999, voters have approved 87 of the 103 local conservation ballot measures —an 85% success rate— with an average of 64% of voter support. These measures have passed in both rural and urban areas and in counties across the political spectrum. In total, voters approved more than $4.8 billion in local funding for conservation programs, supplementing the billions of dollars that the state and federal government spends in Florida. This is because with a local program, the community gets to protect places that are special to them, and that may otherwise fall under the state or federal radars. They can also use their local program funding to attract those state and federal dollars, leveraging their smaller pots to protect more land that benefits them. For an interactive map of all the local programs in the State, please visit www.nflt. org/preservation-priorities/community-conservation/map. As part of the process, NFLT recommends that communities include a Feasibility Study conducted in partnership with The Trust for Public Land. The timing of the Feasibility Study and subsequent polling is critical; it needs to be done early enough for the community to secure approval of the ballot title and summary from the Florida Secretary of State, the Florida Attorney General, and the Florida Supreme Court. It is imperative that the polling reflect the social, political, and economic conditions of the upcoming election season—capturing a realistic picture of voter sentiment. The timeline in Figure 4 below shows a proposed schedule with key milestones.
The process of preparing a referendum is typically led by the Attorney’s Office, Executive Administrator, and Budget Director. They oversee everything from the ordinance drafting, to navigating state and local approval processes, with support from departments such as Planning, Public Works, and Parks & Recreation as needed, or as available.
TYPICAL TIMEFRAME SPRING - SUMMER Community Executes Service Agreement with NFLT
NFLT Initial Meeting with Subject Matter Experts
NFLT Meets with Key Staff on Operational Issues
SUMMER - FALL ConsensusBuilding Commission Workshop
Conservation Values Identification
PHASE 1
Community Workshops
Report Drafting and Review with Staff
Subject Matter Expert Roundtables
Commission Adoption of Greenprint
PHASE 2
FALL-SPRING
SPRING - SUMMER NOVEMBER Commission Adoption of Ordinances
FEASIBILITY STUDY
REFERENDUM FIGURE 4
6 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
CAN WE AFFORD
of Ludlam Trail, a nature trail, will increase property value within 1/2 mile at an annual pace of 0.32% to 0.73% faster than other properties throughout the county translating into a 25-year property value increase between $121 million and $282 million. The county will receive between $31,900 and $80,000 in sales tax from trail related expenditures while the State of Florida will receive between $191,400 and $480,000 annually in sales tax. (Cite: Miami-Dade County Park and Recreation Department, January 2011. AECOM).
NOT TO PROTECT THE LAND? One of the prevailing arguments against land conservation is that taking lands off the tax rolls raises the cost of living for residents. This narrow view fails to understand that Commissioners must take a systematic, comprehensive, and far-reaching approach to solve the issues they deal with. The scientific and economic literature demonstrate the benefits of open space; benefits that translate to active residents, healthy populations, high productivity, reliable food and fiber supplies, and amenity value for residential development.
Another direct example comes from our drinking water. We essentially mine old rainfall from the ground or pull it from the surface. The cost of treating that water and bringing it up to the standard we all want to consume it depends directly on the starting quality of the ground or surface water. That is dictated by the watershed upon which it fell.
Two examples of the latter: A 2017 Study in the Journal of Urban Planning showed, that sales price of houses in Alachua County increases 0.04% for every percent decrease in distance to the nearest conservation land in general [and that] purchase of environmentally sensitive lands has an immediate and positive influence on neighboring property values. (Cite: J. Urban Plann. Dev., 2017, 143(3): 04017003). The 2011 Ludlam Trail Study in Miami-Dade County showed that the presence
Ultimately not every benefit can be translated to economic value. But even a casual observer knows living in a community with access to green space is preferable to one without. It is the responsibility of government to protect the foundations of their residents’ quality of life.
7 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT OF WATER RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL LANDS BOND REFERENDUM To acquire, preserve, protect, manage, and restore, water resources, environmental lands and important fish and wildlife habitat, shall Polk County levy an additional 0.20 mill ad valorem tax and issue bonds payable thereform in one or more series in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $75 million, excluding previously-authorized indebtedness, maturing no later than 20 years from the date of issuance of such bonds, bearing interest not exceeding the maximum lawful rate? FIGURE 5 Sample Referendum from Polk County, Florida
Figure 5 above provides an example of referendum language, drawn from the successful Polk County program. The highlighted red text represent the key variables that the Greenprint and the Feasibility Study are designed to tease out from the community. These elements help shape a ballot question with the strongest chance of voter approval. These also serve as the foundational principles of the conservation program and form the basis of the Line-of-Sight model.
involves unique complexities that require specialized practitioners, especially when negotiating conservation easements, which introduce additional legal and technical considerations. Not every community has all the necessary expertise, and the use of qualified contractors and consultants is appropriate to enhance and supplement the governmental capacity. These professional services are typically funded from the same source as the land acquisition budget. As the portfolio of conservation land grows, so too must the capacity and resources for their proper management. Budgeting the acquisition and stewardship of these lands should be as carefully considered as any other public asset, be it a library, community center, a fire truck, or public park. Well-managed conservation lands add value to the community; poorly managed lands can cause blight, attract nuisance behavior, and become a liability to its neighbors.
Structure and Operation of Local Program
Ideally, the new program should be integrated into existing county processes for property acquisition, strategic planning, legal oversight, budgeting & accounting, agenda review and approval. As land is acquired, process, operational, and capacity enhancements may be necessary to support ongoing operations. A best practice is to house the program within a department whose mission aligns with conservation goals and to form cross-functional “strike teams” from existing staff to manage specific tasks such as property evaluation, real estate negotiation, and land management. One of the most common reasons programs fail is lack of sufficient capacity or expertise. Shortly after the successful referendum, the community will expect to hear about application cycles being opened, property being evaluated and approved for negotiation, purchases made, and property being made available for public use. Meeting these expectations requires a well-resourced and well-coordinated team.
Evaluating Property Applications
It is common for agencies to receive an initial surge of property nominations from the public—each reflecting individual opinions about what “should be saved.” It is vitally important for a successful program to properly evaluate and accept — or reject — applications. Effective evaluation is a cornerstone of the Line-of-Sight model and arguably the most critical element to get right. Successful programs develop an evaluation tool that assesses each application objectively, fairly, consistently, and accurately. So, the criteria that are used must promote lands that meet the Referendum values and reject those that do not. For more information, refer to the Alachua County Forever sidebar on page 9.
Acquiring conservation land is a specialized form of real estate transaction. While it shares many steps with residential or commercial real estate, the process
8 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
ALACHUA COUNTY FOREVER THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB
recently in 2022 when the voters added saving agricultural lands. Critical to the County’s success was a rigorous application of criteria that facilitated the selection of project that best met the referendums’ goals. Projects were evaluated using 26 separate criteria designed to evaluate how well the property would meet water quality and quantity goals, habitat protection goals, and resource-based recreation goals. There was an additional acquisition and management section of criteria that serve as a tie-breaker. Scores ranged from a low of 2 to a max of 10. At one time, the ACF Program had an approved list with an average score over the 5.4 and acquired a portfolio with an average score over 7.0 and had acquired 7 of the top 10 scoring projects. This means the best lands were selected for consideration and the best of the best were acquired.
Alachua County voters approved their first conservation program in 2000. Based on polling done in 1999 by The Nature Conservancy, 85% of voters said they wanted a program that protected water quality, 78% said they wanted to protect endangered plants and animals, and 75% said they wanted more amenities and areas for resource-based recreation. These values became the basis of the Alachua County Forever (ACF) Referendum: “To acquire, improve and manage environmentally significant lands, to protect water quality and wildlife habitat, and provide areas for low-impact, resource-based recreation” which passed with 60.6% of the vote.
Reauthorizations of the program would not have been possible if the program was not meeting the desires of the public. Such is the power of using an evaluation criteria tool, and using it to benchmark its success.
It was so successful that voters renewed the program three more times; with a Wild Spaces Public Places referendum in 2008, and again in 2016, and more
9 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
If we accept that the primary conservation values for a hypothetical Happy County, Florida are (1) protecting threatened and endangered species and habitats, (2) safeguarding drinking water sources, (3) preserving farms and working forests, and (4) expanding access to nature-based recreation, then the evaluation tool should contain criteria that evaluate whether these benefits arise from the candidate property. Table 1
illustrates how each of these four conservation values can be translated into measurable evaluation criteria, along with examples of data that might be used to assess them objectively. This is a sample list and a program may choose to include additional values or refine these criteria over time. The most important principle is to ensure decisions on conservation values are guided by reliable data and a consistent framework.
CONSERVATION VALUE CATEGORY
CRITERION
CONSERVATION VALUE DATA LAYER (SOURCE)
Threatened and Endangered (T&E) Species and Habitats
Is there potential for T&E Species to exist?
Under-Represented Natural Communities (FNAI)
Are there habitats that are present or could be restored so T&E Species can thrive?
Rare Species Habitat Conservation Priorities (FNAI)
Does the property recharge the drinking water aquifer?
Aquifer Recharge Areas (FNAI)
Are there potable wells relying on recharge from this property? Would polluting this property affect potable wells?
Public Water Wells (FDEP)
Is the property currently in agriculture?
Existing Agricultural Lands (FDACS, FDoR and local property appraisers
Drinking Water
Farms and Forests
Environmental Sensitivity Index Invertebrate Habitat Areas (FWC)
Florida Wildlife Corridor (UF-CLCP)
Existing Tree Plantations (FWC Cooperative Land Cover Map Project)
Access to Recreation
Are they highly productive operations?
High Productivity Timberlands (FDoR, Tax Parcels) Soils Productivity Index (USDA)
Are they operating sustainably and responsibly?
Sustainable Forestry Areas (FNAI)
Is the operation in a federal priority area?
Regional Conservation Partnership Program (USDA)
Is the property within a state park priority acquisition area?
Park Optimal Boundaries (FNAI, FDEP)
Is it in a recreationally underserved community?
ParkServe Priority Park Areas (TPL) (Local Comprehensive Plan) FDEP Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP)
TABLE 1 Example Conservation Values and Criteria
Is it in a state conservation area project?
Florida Forever Project Boundaries (FDEP, FNAI) Rural & Family Lands Protection Program (FDACS)
* FNAI – Florida Natural Areas Inventory, FWC – Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, UF-CLCP – University of Florida Center for Landscape Conservation Planning, FDEP – Florida Department of Environmental Protection, FDACS – Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, FDoR – Florida Department of Revenue, USDA – US Department of Agriculture, TPL – The Trust for Public Land
10 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
THE LANDOWNER’S
He recognizes there’s a need for development, particularly in Florida, especially in the last five to ten years. He said lands he bought a few years ago on a 15 or 20-year development horizon are under intense pressure now. He knows the ecosystem benefits that his lands bring to the public and believes there is a need to compensate the owners for keeping their land in open forest and/or agriculture. “They’ll do a better job managing it, than the agencies, because it is personal to them.”
PERSPECTIVE Avery Roberts is a 7th generation agricultural producer in Florida. He is the CEO and founder of the Roberts Companies. He raises cattle, grows timber, and develops residential and commercial uses on those that are well-suited to meet those needs. He said, “Yes, land is an investment, but different than a company. It’s a place to enjoy our families and the outdoors at the same time. It’s personal to us. We want to take care of the property. You can reach out and touch it. You can walk on it.” He said, “It’s in my blood. If I’m at home on Saturdays, that’s what I’m doing. And I thoroughly enjoy my work. Some people golf, I’m on my land.”
Avery thinks his peers have become more appreciative of conservation easements because they are more flexible than years ago. No one knows what the best agricultural use may be, but with easements, “we know that it will never be developed.” He believes successful easement programs allow this flexibility, and landowners are becoming more amenable because, “they retain their property, get cash now, and the ability to adapt in the future, providing security for their family without selling their property.
11 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
At some point, the program will need to reject an application that someone believes is important, making it essential that the decision is transparent, data-driven, and defensible.
that align with the conservation values outlined in the referendum. Alachua County Forever, for example, used these scores to annually review the overall conservation value of its portfolio. This process helped assess whether the program was receiving strong nominations, prioritizing high-scoring properties, and protecting the most valuable lands. For more information, refer to the Alachua County Forever sidebar on page 9. This kind of scoring and self-review leads to greater voter confidence and a higher chance of successor programs being passed.
Evaluation criteria are typically assessed using GIS data and other readily available sources. If additional details are needed, a site verification visit should be arranged with the landowner. Each criterion is scored according to how well that property would meet that criterion: E.g. 1 = None, 2 = Less than Average, 3 = Average, 4 = More than Average, 5 = Best. In addition to these resource values criteria, Alachua County had a Stewardship and Acquisition Issues section which was weighted so it could serve as a tiebreaker. For example, when two properties provide comparable conservation value, preference is given to the one that is easier and more cost-effective to acquire and manage—reflected in a higher stewardship and acquisition sub-score. The final project score is the sum of both sub-scores, providing a balanced assessment that accounts for both conservation impact and practical implementation.
Conservation Easements
Fee ownership of property is thought of as owning all the rights to put that property to any use – subject to local regulations and codes. If many of those rights were used, e.g. mining, building subdivisions, and clear-cutting natural forests, the conservation value of the property would be impacted or completely lost. Some property can be considered so ecologically valuable that fee ownership by an agency is necessary to protect those functions. However, not all property is for sale in fee, nor do all require full public ownership to protect the values they contain. Conservation easements are typically thought of as the purchase of just the development rights but are really the purchase of the bundle of
The evaluation scores can also serve as a benchmark for measuring the program’s effectiveness in meeting its core objective: Protecting properties
12 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
THE ADVOCATE’S PERSPECTIVE
“Together with others in the community, I worked tirelessly to get our Nassau County initiative passed. We were successful because the community realized we are rapidly being overdeveloped and losing our natural and healthy land. Unfortunately, perhaps because of our development crush and a late start on this effort, not nearly enough has been done to maintain sustainability, resilience, wildlife corridors, water quality, natural features, etc. We are losing or have lost the most critical opportunities for land conservation on Amelia Island and in the eastern half of Nassau County.
Margaret Kirkland is the chair of Conserve Nassau, a citizen’s advocacy group pressing for conservation of land in Nassau County, Florida. “I grew up knowing a little about land conservation because my family was raised on a farm. I retired to Amelia Island, Nassau County, full time in 2011, knowing nothing about the ecology of North Florida. Then, a group in the community formed Amelia Tree Conservancy. As part of the leadership, I needed to know as much as possible about the ecology of the area to write articles and make presentations, so I did a lot of research on the topic. At some point I realized that land conservation was our best hope for saving as much of our natural environment as possible.
“The majority in our community support land conservation and I still spend roughly 10-15 percent of my time in public meetings advocating specifically for land conservation. The Nassau County program passed, but the process is slow. My advice to other communities is to start early and push to advance the process as rapidly as possible. Also, constant engagement with the community is critical to maintain trust and commitment.”
13 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
14 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
rights that if used – or continue to be used – would negatively impact the conservation values. Conservation easements are a great tool for the community to maximize conservation value using limited funds. Not every property needs to be owned and managed by the government for its conservation values to be protected.
demonstrates voter support rises if this is a feature of the proposed local program. These advisory committees add significant value because they can: • Bring expertise from the community that may not be present on the Commission and represent different stakeholders. • Act as a resource for the Commission, providing research, advice, and recommendations on policy issues relating to conservation land acquisition and stewardship. • Spend more time digging into the criteria and evaluating property that might be available to commissioners. • Handle the public input at this evaluation and filtering stage.
Conservation easements allow for the protection of property without taking the private landowner out of the equation. In many cases, landowners are better suited than public entities to manage their property, especially on working lands. Besides wildlife and water resource benefits, these agricultural lands provide economic value to the region, food security for the nation, income and jobs for the community, and add to the rural and traditional ways of life for many in the state. The landowner is compensated based on the decrease in the market value of their property. Depending on the location of the property, the uses being restricted and the demand for them, and other considerations, conservation easements typically range from 50% - 70% of the fee simple value. Therefore, a conservation easement can protect land at less cost than purchasing the fee-interest, minimize the perpetual costs of stewardship, and keep the property on the tax rolls and generating income.
Typically, the advisory committee supports the county’s land conservation program through five key responsibilities: 1. Evaluation of nominated property by using the evaluation criteria. 2. Review of potential acquisitions for compliance with adopted rules and procedures. 3. Review of Land Stewardship Plans.
Because conservation easements typically remain in private ownership, they often do not provide public access. As a result, they may score lower in some evaluation systems leading to them being not selected for consideration - a common but misguided oversight. Conservation easements are a powerful tool for protecting vital connections and resources when the property is not for sale, or when it is not cost effective to purchase it in fee, or when it would be detrimental to remove the producer and their contributions to the economy and the landscape.
4. Conservation easement review. 5. General advisor to the Commission on land conservation issues. The committee’s central role is to evaluate nominations of property and make recommendations to the Commission on which lands should be purchased. No property should be purchased without having been reviewed by the committee. It is entirely appropriate that, for a disclosed public purpose, the Commission may reject the committee’s recommendation. However, the Board of County Commissioners may not add to or expand its active acquisition list with any property that has not been evaluated and recommended by the committee. Advisory committees ensure transparency, accountability, and provide a structured forum for
Advisory Committees
Acquiring conservation lands requires both expertise and oversight. To keep the voters’ trust that the best properties were selected and public dollars spent responsibly and transparently, a citizen’s committee should be established. This is the hallmark of every successful local program in Florida. Extensive polling
15 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
public input and discussion. It is also important to recognize that public funds used for these acquisitions are raised from all taxpayers, including those who may have voted against the program. This makes it even more critical that decisions are made with fairness, integrity, and a strong foundation of public support.
While it is desirable to restore any degraded functions, and reach 100% conservation value for every acquired parcel, that is neither affordable nor practicable in the short term. This principle has budgetary and operational ramifications. To address these constraints, certain traditional land uses—such as hunting, cattle grazing, or sustainable forestry—may serve as interim management tools. These traditional practices can maintain conservation values while allowing other lands to be restored or until restoration funds become available. It may also be appropriate to manage some land as perpetual revenue-generating properties to offset the expenses of the entire portfolio. Each property should have a management plan approved by the Commission that articulates a clear vision for that parcel. The plan’s primary objective should be to increase, or at least maintain, its conservation value score, with all strategies and activities aligned toward either enhancing those values or preserving current conditions until further restoration becomes possible.
A Final Note on Stewardship
Imagine that a conservation land’s ability to deliver benefits to the community can be scored from zero to 100% conservation value, with 100% being a perfectly functioning property providing its benefits with minimal management. A property is acquired with a function score somewhere on that scale. Rarely do you get to acquire a perfectly functioning property. Depending on the type of property, its ecological, recreational, or agricultural values can always be enhanced. It should be a core principle of the agency that the overall quality and integrity of its conservation land portfolio must not decline under its stewardship.
16 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
KEEPING THE FAITH
To build trust, Tim put a dashboard on the website where the public can, with a couple of clicks, learn about program and its progress. He also communicates with folks who may have been opposed to land conservation. “We put sweat equity into being available when people want to come in and talk about the program. Our advisory committee is from a spectrum of backgrounds, and we give them information so that they can go back and speak to their peer groups.”
VOLUSIA COUNTY
Tim Telfer is Volusia County’s Chief of Conservation Acquisition, running the Volusia County Forever Program since 2021. Before that, he ran Flagler County’s Program for 17 years.
Tim also advocates for building trust by growing the conservation ethic in the community, and that’s often best done by trying to get people out onto these properties. These may not always be your typical user. “We need to find land for everyone to put their feet on the ground.”
Tim said his No. 1 priority is keeping the voters’ trust. “One of the things we do well is build trust in every project. We build trust with each landowner as they work through our process. We want them to stick with us on a transaction where they might get more money on the private side. That starts with early communication building expectations, acting as a guide.”
Trust is a local government’s most valuable currency. As Tim puts it. “We all want to see local governments succeed with this. Our success is their success and vice versa. If you see something in our success, take it and run with it. And we’ll use your successes here. We all win together.”
“This kind of trust can really facilitate future deals. Our large landowners all know each other. We need them to have a good experience of working with us so when they do, they’ll talk to other landowners about it. The old saying is true, you know, trust is built in drips and lost in buckets.”
17 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
SIX DEGREES of OPEN SPACE
PLEASE CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING WAYS YOU DIRECTLY BENEFIT FROM OPEN SPACE.
The game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” is built on a simple idea—nearly anyone in Hollywood can be linked to the prolific actor through six or fewer films. (Fun fact: Actually, actor Eric Roberts statistically has the lowest average degrees of separation in Hollywood, followed by Michael Madsen, and Harvey Keitel. Kevin is ranked at #407). Nevertheless, we can use this premise to think about how connected each one of us is to the benefits of open space. Everyone benefits from open space in more ways than they realize, perhaps even as closely connected as any actor is to Kevin Bacon. When people hear “open space,” they might first think of the obvious benefits to wildlife and endangered species and their habitats.
1. Do you recreate outdoors, watch wildlife or otherwise enjoy the outdoors? Do you hunt, fish, paddle, hike, or climb? Are you a birdwatcher or ever been on safari? Do you enjoy watching the busy lives of urban squirrels, pigeons, ants, or bees. Perhaps you keep a bird feeder or birdbath in your yard, paint en plein air, or simply enjoy taking a scenic drive. Maybe you just like the apparel; outdoor chic being your preferred style. Outdoor recreation is an important economic engine for the United States. In 2024, the outdoor recreation economy generated $1.3 trillion dollars in economic output.1 The sector contributed $697 billion in value to the economy, representing 2.4% of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). That is nearly four times the
While those benefits matter, they are only part of the story. Open spaces benefit our daily lives in ways we often overlook or maybe don’t even realize, with some of those benefits rising to the level of real dependency.
ItItisisimportant importantto tonote, note,when whenwe werefer referto toland land BENEFITS OF LAND BENEFITS OF LAND conservation conservationprojects projectsininFlorida, Florida,we weare areonly only CONSERVATION CONSERVATION discussing willing-seller, discussing willing-seller,voluntarily-negotiated, voluntarily-negotiated, arm’s-length arm’s-lengthtransactions transactionsthat thatare arebased basedon onmarket market Restores Restores&&Preserves Preserves valuations valuationsof ofproperty. property.
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AATYPICAL TYPICALNFLT NFLTGREENPRINT GREENPRINTINCLUDES INCLUDES Fruit FruitCove Cove THE THEFOLLOWING FOLLOWINGELEMENTS: ELEMENTS: Middleburg Middleburg •• Stakeholder Stakeholdermeetings meetingswith withlocal localofficials officialsto todevelop develop an aninventory inventoryof ofexisting existingexpertise, expertise,document document libraries, libraries,best bestpractices, practices,needs, needs,and andopportunities. opportunities. Conserves Conserves Green GreenCove Cove •• Interviews experts Interviewswith withsubject subjectmatter matter expertsto todevelop develop Wildlife Wildlife Penney Penney Springs Springs Farms Farms an aninventory inventoryofofresource resourceneeds needsand andbegin beginto to identify identifypotential potentialconservation conservationvalues. values. •• Meetings Meetingswith withCommissioners Commissionersto tobuild buildconsensus consensus on onthe thedirection directionofofaapotential potentialland landconservation conservation Protects Protects&& program programand andto toidentify identifythe theconservation conservationvalues values Recharges Recharges ofofthe theCommission. Commission. Buffers BuffersMilitary Military Water Water Installations Installations Supplies Supplies •• Community public Communityengagement, engagement,including including public workshops workshopsto toshape shapethe theprogram’s program’svalues valuesand and Keystone Keystone Heights Heights outcomes, outcomes,and andpolling pollingofofcitizens citizensand andlikely likelyvoters, voters, to tounderstand understandcommunity communityconservation conservationvalues, values, priorities, Creates CreatesAreas Areas priorities,and andwillingness willingnessto tosupport supportpublic publicfunding. funding. for Recreation for Recreation •• An Anonline onlinesurvey surveytool toolfor forthose thosewho whocannot cannotattend attend Generates Generates live Amenity AmenityValue Value liveworkshops workshopsso sothey theycan canalso alsolearn learnabout aboutthe the FIGURE FIGURE22 proposal proposaland andprovide provideinput input ••size AAof comprehensive Final Report, offering program comprehensive Finalmore Report, offering program 3. Do you enjoy being flooded? air transportation, than three and a half 2.to DEFINE CONSERVATION VALUES: Translate these not protect the lands that generate these benefits, 2. DEFINE CONSERVATION VALUES: Translate these not protect the lands that generate these benefits, recommendations, aamodel program description, draft conservation values the recommendations, model program description, draft isis toidentify identify the conservation values the community An acre of the salt marsh can absorb up tocommunity 1.5 million times the size of motor vehicle manufacturing, two prioritized benefits into clearly defined conservation they will degrade and disappear forever. This prioritized benefits into clearly defined conservation they will degrade and disappear forever. This enabling legislation, and sample referendum language. to therefore represented enabling legislation, and sample referendum language. wants wants toprotect—and protect—and therefore3see see represented gallons of hurricane floodwater. and a half times the size of agriculture and forestry, That’s equivalent to values that reflect what the community distinguishes open space from land conservation, values that reflect what the community wants distinguishes open space from land conservation, portfolio acquired property. the portfolio of acquired property. and more than one and a half times the size of oil and ininathe football fieldof flooded with almost 5 feet ofwants water. to protect. which is the intentional act to preserve these benefits to protect. which is the intentional act to preserve these benefits NOTES: NOTES: gas development and mining. Open spaces in your neighborhood protect your from goal Greenprinting isis What that come fromthe theland. land. The goalofof Greenprinting ••that InIncome this Key Principles are ininBold do mean we say Values? thisdocument, document, KeyThe Principles are BoldText. Text. What dowe we meanwhen when we sayConservation Conservation Values? homes, businesses, and infrastructure from being 3. APPLY SCIENCE-BASED ANALYSIS: Use scientific your community to make a fully informed decision 3. APPLY SCIENCE-BASED ANALYSIS: Use scientific for your community to make a fully informed decision ••for The highest level of legislative authority in a local These are the characteristics of a piece of land that The highest level of legislative authority in a local These are the characteristics of a piece of land that 2. Do you live on a lake or the seashore, along a flooded with that water, coming at speed. Whether data to map where the resources that support the on what its future will look like. Greenprinting helps data to map where the resources that support the on what its future will look like. Greenprinting helps community ininadjacent Florida typically aaCommission generates some type of benefit values. community Floridaisisto typically Commission or generates some type oflow-lying benefitthe thepublic publicor values. golf course, or a preserve or park? or these open spaces are wetlands uplands, identified conservation values are located and assess you identify which lands should be conserved with identified conservation values are located and assess you identify which lands should be conserved with Council. use the As illustrated ininthe Figure 2,2,open spaces offer aawide range Council. We use theterm term “Commission” throughout Asthey illustrated Figure open spaces offer wide range Analyses ofWe Real Estate sales“Commission” data indicatethroughout that these absorb excess rainfall, storm surges, and their significance. If protecting water quality isis limited public resources and funding. their significance. If protecting water quality limited public resources and funding. to these legislative bodies. ofofriver benefits that enhance aacommunity’s quality togenerically generically referto to these legislative bodies. benefits that enhance community’s quality oflife. life. homes are worthrefer more per square foot than comfloods, slowing their flow, lowering theirof kinetic valued, then land areas that influence water quality valued, then land areas that influence water quality Historically, conservation values Historically, conservation values werenarrowly narrowly defined parable homes without access or proximity to open energy, and retaining them tillwere they can seepdefined into the are identified using credible, science-based THE GREENPRINTING PROCESS: are identified using credible, science-based data. THE GREENPRINTING PROCESS: ecological: natural resources, biodiversity, or asground ecological: natural resources, wildlife biodiversity, or space.² This is because homebuyers value open space as or flow through naturalwildlife systems withoutdata. over1. ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY: Begin by conducting 1. ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY: Begin by conducting Greenprinting 101 habitat. However, over time, these values have been Greenprinting 101 habitat. However, over time, these values have been as an amenity, a phenomenon known as the “proximiloading them. One study estimated that each square 4.4. DEVELOP STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS: interviews polls public, subject DEVELOP STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS: interviews pollsof ofthe the public, subjectmatter matter AAtyGreenprint isisand aand form of strategic to the importance ofofoutdoor Greenprint aspecialized specialized form ofappreciate strategic broadened torecognize recognize the importance outdoor effect.” These homes also tend to faster broadened mile of coastal wetlands along the Atlantic and Gulf Finally, provide clear, actionable recommendations experts, community leaders, and Commissioners. Finally, provide clear, actionable recommendations experts, community leaders, and Commissioners. conservation planning. At its core, it is a tool that helps recreation, cultural and historic resources, farms conservation planning. At its core, it is a tool that helps recreation, cultural and historic resources, farms and and retain their value longer. This strengthens the coasts prevents an average of approximately and on how to best protect these identified conservation This helps determine the relative importance of on how to best protect these identified conservation This helps determine the relative importance of aaoverall Commission identify, prioritize, natural, ranches, storm control, aquifer recharge, Commission identify, prioritize,and andpursue pursue natural, ranches, stormprotection, protection, flood control, aquifer recharge, value of neighborhoods, makes communities $4.7 million in propertyflood damage annually. As an values—ensuring community goals are met with various public benefits — such as recreation, water values—ensuring community goals are met with various public benefits — such as recreation, water agricultural, and cultural resources for conservation. water quality improvement, and buffering military bases agricultural, and cultural resources for conservation. water quality improvement, and buffering military bases more desirable places to live, and supports local added benefit, salt marshes and other coastal wetprecision and quality, or preservation — gauge quality, orfarmland farmland preservation —and and gauge the from precision andefficiency. efficiency. Like any effective ititmust be to task encroachment. IfIfcarbon programs are ininaa Like any effective tool, must betailored tailored tothe the taskthe from encroachment. programs areestablished established businesses. All oftool, these generate economic activity, lands can sequester at rates up to 10 times community’s desire to protect them. For example, one community’s desire to protect them. For example, one atat hand. In this case, the plan needs to identify well-thought-out manner, the community can fully reap hand. In this case, the plan needs to identify well-thought-out manner, the community can fully reap sales tax revenue, and support home values. Since a greater than terrestrial forests. When marsh plants die may care both recreation and quality may careabout about both recreation and water quality and prioritize the land based on from the the benefits forever. and prioritize the land based oninputs inputs from the the benefits conservation landsprovide, provide, forever. home’s taxable value is directly related towater its market and decay,conservation much of that lands carbon becomes buried in protection but may prioritize one more strongly. protection but may prioritize one more strongly. community. It follows then that the necessary first step None of these benefits are guaranteed. If we do community. It follows then that the necessary first step None of these benefits are guaranteed. If weremain do value, community open spaces also enhance local waterlogged, oxygen-poor soils, where it can
ENHANCED ENHANCED
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property tax revenues.
stored for centuries or even millennia.
19 Common Ground: AALand Conservation Guide for Local Government Common Ground: ALand Land Conservation Guide for Local Government Common Ground: Conservation Guide for Local Government
4. Do you serve in the military, are a veteran, or are related to a service member? In 2022, the military installations in Florida generated $102.6 billion in economic impact across the state, representing 7.3% of Florida’s economy.4 Open space surrounding these installations helps keep them operational by excluding uses that are incompatible with military training and operations. What happens when a subdivision is built next to a base? Residents begin to complain about the noise, the thud of ordnance, and nighttime operations. The military is then forced to withdraw inward from the fence line, reducing its available training area, mission readiness, and overall capability. Open spaces also serve as safety zones for service personnel and civilians. Imagine a pilot on a practice bombing run, rails hot and approaching the training target, when the worst happens: a malfunction causes the ordnance to drop early, or a problem is severe enough that the pilot must eject from the aircraft. It is far preferable for that equipment to fall into open space than onto homes, businesses, or a school. 5. Do you enjoy seafood? How about any kind of food? Three-quarters of the nation’s 3.8 million acres of salt marsh are found in the southeastern United States. An estimated 80,000 acres of coastal wetlands—including salt marshes—are lost nationwide each year. Salt marshes and the estuaries they support provide food, shelter, and nursery habitat for more than 75% of the nation’s commercial and recreational fish species - the seafood you eat.5 Coastal marshes also filter urban runoff and excess nutrients, maintaining our near-shore water quality. One of the indelible memories of the COVID pandemic was seeing empty shelves at local groceries—something many Americans had never experienced before. The world has come to depend on just-in-time logistics, in which supplies are delivered shortly before they are purchased. This eliminates storage costs but makes us reliant on tenuous supply-chains. Open space is where we grow our food and produce our timber and fiber. A local food supply strengthens our food security, strengthening our national security. America’s agricultural producers are getting older. From 2017 to 2022, the number of producers age 65 and older increased by 12%, continuing the trend of an aging producer population, while the number of producers
important tonote, note, whenwe we refer toland land ItItrights isisimportant to when to that if used – or continue torefer be used – would demonstrates voter support rises if this is a feature 6 ages 35–64 declined by 9%. As older producers So, how many of these connections did you make CONSERVATION VALUES HEAT MAP CONSERVATION MAP conservation projects in Florida, we are only conservation projects in Florida, we are only negatively impact the conservation values. Conservation of the proposed localVALUES program. HEAT retire, the future of family farmland increasingly in your daily life? discussing willing-seller, voluntarily-negotiated, discussing voluntarily-negotiated, easementswilling-seller, are a great tool for the community to depends on successful succession planning and the arm’s-length transactions thatusing arebased based on market arm’s-length transactions that are on market maximize conservation value limited funds. Not These advisory committees add significant value ability of a new generation to enter farming. But the OrangePark Park Orange valuations ofproperty. property. valuations of every property needs to be owned and managed because they can: kids have seen how hard mom and dad, gran and by the government for its conservation values •IF Bring fromCONSERVE the community that may WE expertise DO NOT THE Lakeside Lakeside Johns St.St.Johns gramps, worked onGREENPRINT the farm and want nothing to do TYPICAL NFLT INCLUDES FruitCove Cove AAto TYPICAL NFLT GREENPRINT INCLUDES be protected. not be present on the Commission and represent Fruit with it.FOLLOWING They want to ELEMENTS: do anything but farm. When I LAND, THESE BENEFITS WILL THE THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS: different stakeholders. chat with farmers and their plans for the farm when Middleburg Middleburg Stakeholder meetings withlocal local officials todevelop develop ••Conservation Stakeholder meetings with to •DIMINISH Act as a resource forMAY the Commission, providing easements allow for officials the protection of AND ULTIMATELY they retire, most are concerned about the legacy of an inventory of existing expertise, document an inventory oftaking existing documentout research, advice, and recommendations on policy property without theexpertise, private landowner their family farm. Many go back generations to the BEissues LOST FOREVER. THIS IS WHAT libraries, best practices, needs, andopportunities. opportunities. best practices, needs, and relating to conservation land acquisition of libraries, the equation. In many cases, landowners are better first homesteaders, and they feel they are betraying GreenCove Cove Green Interviews withsubject subjectmatter matter experts toproperty, develop ••suited Interviews with experts to develop and stewardship. than public entities to manage their LAND CONSERVATION DOES. Penney Penney Springs IT Springs their ancestors if the last crop they raise on the family Farms Farms aninventory inventory ofresource resource needs and beginto to water • Spend more time digging into the criteria and an of and begin especially on working lands.needs Besides wildlife and land isidentify houses.potential Protecting farmland through conPROTECTS OUR QUALITY OF LIFE conservation values. identifybenefits, potentialthese conservation values. evaluating property that might be available resource agricultural lands provide servation easements compensates these farmers by Meetings withto Commissioners tobuild build consensus ••economic Meetings with Commissioners to consensus commissioners. value the region, food security for the BYtoPERMANENTLY PROTECTING payingonthem to remove the development rights from the direction of a potential land conservation on the direction a potential land conservation • Handle the public input at this evaluation nation, income andof jobs for the community, and add to the farm, forever. This lowers the value of the farm, OPEN SPACE AND THE BENEFITS program and toidentify identify the conservation values to conservation and filtering stage. theprogram rural andand traditional waysthe of life for many invalues the state. making it affordable for the next generation of farmers oflandowner theCommission. Commission. of the The is compensated based on the decrease THE OPEN SPACE PROVIDES US. to•inherit or afford a mortgage toincluding buy. Thispublic keeps the Community engagement, • in the Community engagement, includingDepending public Typically, the advisory committee supports the market value of their property. on farm inworkshops farming, agriculture in our local economies, to shape the program’s values and shape the program’s and county’s land conservation program through five theworkshops location oftothe property, the uses values being restricted Keystone Keystone and grocery shelves stocked. Heights Heights outcomes, andfor polling of citizens and likelyvoters, voters, outcomes, and polling citizens likely key responsibilities: and the demand them,of and otherand considerations, This essay is my invitation to do one thing tounderstand understand community conservation values, to community conservation conservation easements typically range fromvalues, 50% - 70% differently when you leave here. I have been 6. Do you drinkand water? priorities, willingness tosupport support publicfunding. funding. and willingness to public 1. Evaluation of nominated property by to using of priorities, the fee simple value. Therefore, a conservation learning more about wine and I struggle Thirty-eight percent of the U.S. population relies on • An online survey tool for those who cannot attend • easement An online survey tool for at those attend the evaluation criteria. can protect land less who cost cannot than purchasing describe what I smell and taste in a glass of groundwater—we’re mining rainfall and about snow melt live workshopsminimize sothey theyold can also learn the workshops so can also learn about the thelive fee-interest, the perpetual costs of wine—especially when others seem to find such storedproposal beneath and the earth’s surface—for drinking provide input proposal and input 2. ofand potential foronce compliance stewardship, andprovide keep the property on the tax rolls vividReview aromas flavors.acquisitions A sommelier gave 7 water. Think about that for a moment. Most ofprogram comprehensive Final Report,offering offering ••and AAgenerating comprehensive Final Report, program with adopted rules and procedures. income. me advice: “Be more mindful. Notice what a the rest of us rely on surface waters. We all want recommendations, model program description, draft isispeach, toidentify identify theconservation conservation values the community recommendations, aamodel program description, draft to the values the community strawberry, or herb smells and tastes like. high-quality drinking water and there is a real cost to enabling legislation,and and samplereferendum referendum language. wants to protect—and therefore see represented enabling legislation, sample language. to protect—and therefore see represented 3. Review of Land Stewardship Plans. Because conservation easements typically remain in wants Intentionally store those associations in your producing it. Water must be treated before it is safe theportfolio portfolio ofIacquired acquired property. the of private ownership, they often do not provide public access. ininsensory library.” am askingproperty. you to bring that to NOTES: drink, so the closer raw source water is to drinkNOTES: 4. Conservation easement review. As a result, they may score lower in some evaluation same mindfulness and intentionality to your daily ing-water standards, the Key less it costs to treat, leaving this document, Principles are Boldfor Text. What What dowe wemean meanconnections whenwe wesay say Conservation Values? ••systems InInthis document, ininBold Text. when leading to Key themPrinciples being notare selected life. do Notice your toConservation open spacesValues? and more money in our pockets for apple pie and baseThehighest highestlevel oflegislative legislative authorityininoversight. local These are the characteristics of a piece of land that ••consideration The of authority aalocal These are the characteristics of a piece of land that 5. General advisor to the Commission on land -level a common but misguided the benefits they provide and support land ball. The initial quality of thatis water depends largely or community in Florida typically a Commission generates some type of benefit the public values. community in Florida is typically a Commission generates some ofconnections, benefit theand public Conservation easements are a powerful tool foror conservation issues. conservation sotype those the values. on theCouncil. condition ofuse thethe watershed and the land it We term“Commission” “Commission” throughout As illustrated in Figure 2, open spaces offer awide widerange range Council. We useconnections the term throughout As illustrated in Figure 2, open spaces offer a protecting vital and resources when benefits that come with them, are not lost. flows over or throughrefer before we draw it for use. to generically to these legislative bodies. of benefits that enhance a community’s quality of life. generically referfor to these legislative ofThe benefits that enhance community’s quality of life. thetoproperty is not sale, or when it bodies. is not cost committee’s centralarole is to evaluate nominations Historically, conservation valueswere werenarrowly narrowly defined Historically, conservation values effective to purchase it in fee, or when it would of property and make recommendations todefined the as ecological: natural resources, wildlife biodiversity, or asCommission ecological: natural resources, wildlife or be detrimental to remove the producer and their on which lands should be biodiversity, purchased. No Greenprinting 101economy and the landscape. habitat. habitat. However, over time,these thesewithout valueshave have been Greenprinting time, values been contributions to 101 the property shouldover be purchased having been Notes andHowever, Resources A Greenprint is a specialized form of strategic broadened to recognize the importance of outdoor A Greenprint is a specialized form of strategic broadened the importance of outdoor reviewed to byrecognize the committee. It is entirely appropriate 1. 2024 Headwaters Economics analysis of U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, conservation planning. Atits itscore, core,ititisisaatool toolthat thathelps helps recreation, cultural and historic resources, farms and conservation At recreation, cultural and historic resources, farms and that, for a disclosed public purpose, the Commission Advisoryplanning. Committees Outdoor Satellite Account and Regional Economic Accounts a Commission identify, prioritize, and pursue natural, ranches, storm protection, flood control, aquifer recharge, a Acquiring Commission identify, prioritize, and pursue ranches, storm flood aquifer recharge, may reject theprotection, committee’s recommendation. However, conservation lands requires both natural, expertise 2. Open space, residential property values, and control, spatial context, Journal of Regional Science and Urban Economics Nov. 2006 agricultural, andTo cultural resources for conservation. water quality improvement, andbuffering buffering military bases agricultural, and cultural conservation. water quality and military bases the Board ofimprovement, County Commissioners may not add to and oversight. keep resources the voters’for trust that the best 3. South Atlantic Salt Marsh Initiative, Salt Marsh Facts Like any effective tool, it must be tailored to the task from encroachment. If programs are established in Like any effective it must be public tailoreddollars to the spent task from encroachment. programs list arewith established in aa or expand its active Ifacquisition any property properties weretool, selected and 4. State of Florida Division of Economic Development, hand.InInthis this case, theplan planneeds needs toidentify identify well-thought-out manner, the community canfully fullyreap reap atat hand. case, the to manner, the community that has not& been evaluated and recommended by the responsibly and transparently, a citizen’s committee well-thought-out Florida Military Defense Economic Impact Summary, 2024 can and prioritize the land based on inputs from the the benefits conservation lands provide, forever. and prioritize the land based from the the benefits conservation provide, forever. committee. Advisory committees ensure transparency, should be established. This is on theinputs hallmark of every 5. South Atlantic Salt Marsh Initiative, Salt lands Marsh Facts community. follows thenin that thenecessary necessary first step None None of these benefits are guaranteed. wedo dofor community. ItItfollows then that the first step of these benefits are guaranteed. IfIfforum we accountability, and provide a structured successful local program Florida. Extensive polling 6. USDA Census of Agriculture 7. National Ground Water Association
21 Common Ground: Land Conservation Guide for Local Government Common Ground: AAA Land Conservation Guide for Local Government Common Ground: Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
Lessons Learned, Key Takeaways, Guiding Principles. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE DOCUMENT ARE SUMMARIZED HERE FOR EASY REFERENCE. 1.
All transactions must be voluntary, market-based, and conducted at arm’s length with willing sellers. Page 2
2.
Effective land conservation strategic plans identify and prioritize lands based on community input. See Figure 2. Pages 2 + 3
3.
Conservation Values are the characteristics of a piece of land that generate some type of value or benefit to the community. See Figure 2. Pages 2 + 3
4.
These benefits are not guaranteed—without protecting the lands that provide them, they will be permanently lost. Page 2
5.
The goal of Greenprinting is for the community to make a fully informed decision on what its future will look like. Page 3
6.
The “Line-of-Sight” is a tried-and-true model for developing, launching, and running local programs. See also Figure 3 for illustration. Page 4
7.
Typically, these programs are created pursuant to a referendum for several reasons: Pages 4 + 6 a. Land conservation is often viewed as a “nice-to have” initiative for a government, not a core function. b. Referenda provide a strong public mandate and long-term support c. The referendum should be run during a Presidential or mid-term election year to maximize voter turnout. 8.
Conservation referenda pass in Florida. Since 1999, 85% (87 of 103) have passed, with average voter support of 64%. Page 6
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A feasibility study and polling—conducted with NFLT and the Trust for Public Land—is recommended to gauge support under real-time social and political conditions. Page 6
10. Program leadership should be housed in a department with an aligned mission and supported by cross-departmental “strike teams” to manage key functions. Page 8
22 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
11. If local expertise is limited, use qualified consultants to strengthen the program’s capabilities. Page 8 12. Land acquisition and stewardship budgets should be given the same consideration as any other essential public service or capital asset. Page 8 13. It is vitally important for a successful program to properly evaluate, accept and reject applications. This is a critical component of the Line-of-Sight model and is the single most important part of a successful program. Page 8 14. Ensure all property assessments are backed by data. Rejection of applications must be justifiable and transparent. Page 12 15. Use evaluation scores to track progress toward protecting properties that reflect the conservation values approved by voters. Page 12 16. Some lands are so ecologically significant that full public ownership is warranted—but not all land must be publicly owned to be protected. Conservation easements offer a flexible, cost-effective alternative. Page 15
17. Conservation easements may be undervalued in scoring models, but they are vital for protecting important lands not available for fee purchase, or where continued private ownership benefits the broader landscape and economy. Page 15 18. Establishing a citizen advisory committee builds transparency and trust and significantly increases voter support. This is a defining feature of Florida’s most successful local programs. Page 15 19. No property should be purchased without having been reviewed by the citizen advisory committee. Page 15 20. A core principle of the program should be that no conservation land under its care is allowed to degrade. Page 16 21. To support interim stewardship, traditional land uses—such as grazing, hunting, or forestry—can be appropriate tools for maintaining conservation value while awaiting restoration funding. Page 16
23 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
THE NORTH FLORIDA LAND TRUST has extensive experience in these types of strategic planning projects and NFLT staff has more than 30 years’ experience developing and running County land conservation programs. NFLT staff has developed Greenprints for both Nassau and Clay Counties and is currently under contract implementing Nassau County’s Conservation Lands and Acquisition Management Program. NFLT is working with Highlands County to Greenprint their local land conservation program. NFLT’s advice is frequently sought out by staff of new and established programs. NFLT understands the goals of each local land conservation program varies according to the desires of their residents and the elected officials. NFLT customizes the conservation planning process according to the needs of its client community. PHILOSOPHY: North Florida Land Trust was founded in 1999 and is a land conservation, 501(c)3 organization focused on preserving and enhancing our quality of life by protecting North Florida’s irreplaceable natural environment. We have a core service area of seven counties in North Florida and work on an as-needed basis elsewhere throughout the state. OUR MISSION: To preserve and enhance our quality of life by protecting North Florida’s irreplaceable natural environment.
WE ENVISION: North Floridians feel more connected to and have a stronger appreciation for our unique native environment. The North Florida Land Trust implements collaborative approaches for long-term solutions commensurate with rapid growth. By protecting more of North Florida’s farms, forests, and natural areas, we maintain traditions, enhance lives, and sustain our expanding communities. CORE VALUES We believe… • We all bring our greatest strengths, and together they add power. • Our dedication to innovation and new ideas gets results. • Our dependability and accuracy earn trust. • Consistently being transparent and honest brings us together. • Our passion and connection to protecting our natural environment make a difference. WHAT WE DO: Since its inception NFLT has facilitated the preservation of almost 129,000 acres worth more than $350 million. Of these, NFLT holds an interest in more than 18,400 acres including 6,800 acres of Conservation Easements.
24 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
STRATEGIC FOCUS: Our work centers around six Priority Preservation Areas (PPA). These are: • Osceola to Ocala (O2O) Wildlife Corridor • Military Readiness and Base Buffering • Salt Marsh and Climate Resilience • Springs, Aquifer Recharge and Water Quality Improvement • Working Lands • Community Conservation COMMUNITY CONSERVATION. NFLT will work with communities to acquire funding and property that may not fit into any of the other above-mentioned PPAs – all we need is a willing landowner, willing funding partners, and community support. As a part of the Community Conservation PPA, we offer our Greenprinting service. We assist local governments in developing the means, resources, and tools to protect locally important green spaces, and compete for State, federal, and private funds to purchase property and conservation easements. We can also work as their real estate arm to negotiate conservation deals for them to consider. GREENPRINTING: NFLT staff possesses extensive knowledge and expertise in local government land conservation, with a strong track record of designing, implementing, and managing effective local programs. Recent Greenprinting work:
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2018 – 2022: Assisted Nassau County (FL) design its Conservation Acquisition and Management Program, taking that from Blueprint, through 2020 Referendum, to implementation. 2022 – Present: Is now the full-time conservation real estate arm for Nassau County handling property evaluations, negotiations with landowners, contract development, due diligence, Citizen Committee and Commission briefings, grant preparation, and strategic conservation planning. 2021 – 2023: Assisted the cities of Fernandina Beach, New Smyrna Beach, and Jacksonville negotiate and acquire conservation property. 2022 – 2024: Assisted Clay County (FL) develop its land conservation program resulting in the County agreeing to put a $45 million Referendum question to their voters. 2024: Assisting Highlands County (FL) develop its Ridge to River Conservation Planning Study. 2025 – 2028: Assisting Flagler County implement its Environmentally Sensitive Lands Program.
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? Contact us at Info@NFLT.org or call 904.557.7983. Visit us at www.NFLT.org.
25 Common Ground: A Land Conservation Guide for Local Government
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