[NatureNS] Protecting land from 'development'

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From: Bev Wigney <bkwigney@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 2015 23:46:40 -0300
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Dave, and all,

I don't know anything about land trusts in Nova Scotia, but back in eastern Ontario (where I lived for many years), there is quite an active land trust -- the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust.  I just looked to see if it has a website and actually, it is part of the Ontario Land Trust Alliance (OLTA).  If you go to the OLTA webpage, you can see info about the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust, but also listed down the side bar are other Ontario land trusts.  There are quite a few.
http://olta.ca/land-trust-members/mississippi-madawaska-land-trust-conservancy/
I looked around on the OLTA site to see what I could find about land trusts --- how they work, etc..  I think this link should take you to the 'What is a Land Trust" page.  The "How Do I Start A Land Trust" button states that they have a 
Land Trust Starter Kit.  It might be worth contacting them to see if you can take a look at the kit or the web resource they mention.  
http://olta.ca/land-trust/
Another thing I should mention about Ontario -- and I just don't know if Nova Scotia has an equivalent -- but in Ontario, there are conservation authorities that were established to oversee conservation of lands and watersheds.  The CAs often manage conservation trust lands -- properties that have been placed in their care.  I know of a couple of properties that were placed in the care of the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority in my own area shortly before I left to come out to Nova Scotia.  The RVCA was pretty effective at managing properties held in their trust -- less so about some other things which I won't get into here.  
Anyhow, perhaps there are some equivalents to the above in Nova Scotia, but thus far, I haven't come across anything similar.  Maybe it would be worth contacting OLTA to see if they are aware of anything going on in Nova Scotia  -- they may be part of a network of provincial trust alliances.   

regards,
Bev Wigney



On 2015-08-26, at 9:02 PM, David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com> wrote:

> Dear All,                                Aug 26, 2015
>   The following paste is the substance of an e-mail which I sent recently to Nova Scotia Nature Trust---
> 
> START OF PASTE\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
> Hello:                                                    Aug 21, 2015
>  I have a woodlot in North Alton, of about 70 acres, which I would like to
> permanently protect from residential or commercial development of any kind.
> It is near enough to Kentville and Route12 that it will be developed if not
> protected and I will not always be here to say no thanks.
> 
>   But I want any future owner to have rights for cutting of firewood and
> selective logging because that improves wildlife habitat as compared to a
> hands off policy, would help to keep the network of mostly pick-and-shovel
> roads open to public foot traffic and, unlike many current energy sources,
> is nearly carbon neutral.
> 
>   END OF PASTE
>   In the closing paragraph I asked, in effect, if NSNT could offer advice as to how I could implement protection of this sort. [And I now see that the tax slip lists it as 63 acres.]
> 
>   After two exchanges with NSNT it appears that the front-line staff are prompt to answer e-mails but don't bother to read the questions first so they appear to be a dead loss. [A June 1, 2014 (yes 1014) inquiry to a former NSNT manager of some sort drew no response.]
> 
>   So reading between the lines I suspect they fail to comprehend that one can combine protection of woodland and watershed integrity with judicious extraction of wood fiber. And in addition they apparently don't realize that all woodland, but especially woodland on good soil, is worth protecting. The Sapsuckers, who feed extensively on the vigorous Wire Birch (always in my absence) would all vote for protection from development if they had a vote.
> 
>   I gather, after some searching that I am after a Conservation Easement of some sort and I understand that Easements can be donated to an accomodating Conservation entity. For what it may be worth about 2/3 of the area is good Morristown Loam but shallow the remainder being undulating rocky swampland with sometimes good hardwood.
> 
>   I am sending this to the group in the hope that someone may be able to offer guidance. For example, can an individual establish a Conservation entity which does not die with the individual ? Does Ducks Unlimited get involved with pond-free land ? There is potential for pond construction.
> 
> Yours truly, Dave Webster, Kentville
> 
> 
> 
> 

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