December
2008
Inside -
• News from the Trail, Page 2
• Annual Reports Available, Page 3
• Letter from the Executive
Director, Page 4
• Big River Interpretive Panels
Unveiled, Page 5
Land Trust Works to Accept Transfer of
Conservation Easement from Land Trust of
Napa County
The Mendocino Land Trust has been working with
the Land Trust of Napa County to accept the transfer
of a 73-acre working forestland conservation easement
known as Redwood Meadows, which is located on the
Skunk Train rail line in the headwaters of the Noyo
River. In 1997, Hans and Johanna Burkhardt donated
a conservation easement that was ahead of its time,
conserving “a significant example of the coastal redwood
forest ecosystem” that can be sustainably harvested while
providing habitat for wildlife and watershed protection.
For the last two years, the two land trusts have jointly
monitored the conservation easement in the late Fall with
the landowner.
The efforts of the two land trusts are part of a trend
in the land conservation community to work with each
other more effectively and take on responsibilities that
make sense. In this case, it does not make sense for
a staff person to drive up from Napa for an annual
monitoring visit when there is a competent land trust
closer by that can more readily communicate with the
landowner and respond to any concerns.
The Mendocino Land Trust adopted a policy
concerning acceptance of transfers of conservation
easements in December 2007. Following that policy, the
Land Trust has received and reviewed the conservation
easement and the baseline statement of conditions
documentation. The Lands Committee has used the
Land Trust’s selection criteria to determine that the
conserved land meets that test. The Land Trust of
Napa County has determined that the Mendocino
Land Trust is a credible organization able to accept the
responsibilities of the conservation easement. The land
trusts are now working to determine the amount of the
stewardship endowment to