Conservation Easements: How it Works

Michael Furtman 

How to get started: 

1. Contact DU: DU staff can walk you through the process to  donate a conservation easement. 

2. Property assessment: A regional biologist will schedule a site visit to evaluate the habitat and determine if it aligns with DU’s conservation mission. 

3. Discuss terms: If the property is suitable, DU and the landowner together will outline the terms of the conservation easement.  

4. Finalize details: Once terms are agreed upon, DU and the landowner will complete the necessary steps, including documentation including appraisals, title work and a property baseline report. 

5. Seal the deal: After everything is in order, the conservation easement is signed and officially recorded. 

To learn more about Conservation Easements please contact a rep in your area:

Great Lakes/Atlantic Region

• MO:
  • Kim Cole |  kcole@ducks.org
  • 314-964-0619
• ME, NH, RI, VT, CT, RI, NY, NJ, DE, MD, WV, PA: 
  • Betsey McNaughten | bmcnaughten@ducks.org
  • 603-805-4636
• MN, WI, IA, IL, IN, KY, MI, OH: 
  • Geoff Cripe | gcripe@ducks.org
  • 269-270-8543

Great Plains Region

• MT, WY, CO, KS, NE, SD, ND: 
  • Greg Kernohan | gkernohan@ducks.org
  • 970-481-7793

Western Region

• WA, OR, ID, UT, AK: 
  • Greg Green 360-831-2152 | ggreen@ducks.org 
  • 360-831-2152
• CA, NV, AZ, HI: 
  • Virginia Getz | vgetz@ducks.org
  • 916-798-1973

Southern Region

• MAV North: 
  • Chris Sims | csims@ducks.org
  • 870-740-9276
• MAV South:
  • Tyler Pierot | tpierot@ducks.org 
  • 318-548-8700
• TX, OK, NM: 
  • Todd Merindino | tmerendino@ducks.org
  • 832-451-4801
• FL: 
  • Elizabeth Guthrie | eguthrie@ducks.org
  • 704-500-4668
• SC, NC, VA, GA: 
  • Diana Iriarte | diriarte@ducks.org
  • 843-277-8241
  • Ali Bastian | abastian@ducks.org
  • 843-628-1626