Landowners: Protecting your land

If there’s a special place you would like to preserve in perpetuity, the Hastings Prince Edward Land Trust can provide options that best suit both parties. For example, donations of land protect special features forever and they may qualify for the Canada Ecological Gifts Program (Ecogift) for ecologically significant lands. Ecogift donors can receive significant tax benefits. Or if you wish to continue ownership of the property, you can consider working with HPELT to place a Conservation Easement on the property.

Before making the choice, HPELT will review your property with you to consider a number of factors, including:

• to conserve and protect ecologically significant areas, flora and fauna
• to conserve and enhance biological diversity
• to undertake an ecological restoration of a natural environment as appropriate
• to protect areas with unique or representative natural features, cultural heritage, scenic vistas or ecosystems
• to protect areas that provide habitat to species of threatened or endangered species
• to connect existing protected areas or expand a natural corridor.
• the importance of the property to protect water quality

HPELT may also take these factors into consideration:

• the eligibility of the property as an EcoGift
• local support for acquisition
• the size of the property
• the financial resources available to acquire and pay expenses for the property

Stewardship Program

Stewardship is one of HPELT’s core program areas ensuring the long-term protection of a property’s significant natural values. Through the purchase or acceptance of land and easement donations, the Trust is committed to the stewardship of that property in perpetuity. Our Stewardship Program is dedicated to achieving this goal through the support and passion of members of our local communities that share in our interest in protecting these special places. The stewardship of all of our properties is led by dedicated individuals committed to watching over our reserves to make sure that they are properly cared for, monitored and respected by those that visit.