Restoration - Conservation Agreement Templates
There are several basic types of conservation agreements we use depending on the land ownership and requirements of the grant program. Here is a summary:
Third-Party Conservation Easement – While the State holds no direct property interest and does not monitor these easements, the State does maintain a third-party right of enforcement as an option in the event that the grantee fails to enforce the easement. These are often used for privately-owned stream restoration projects.
Restrictive Covenants – These single party agreements impose restrictions on the future land use that can be virtually the same as a conservation easement. However, they do not have a second party responsible for annual monitoring and reporting. While sometimes used for land trusts or local governments, restricted covenants are often less preferred than conservation easements.
For more information about types of land protection documents NCLWF uses and how each type applies to the program areas, see the Restoration Program Funding Manual.