NATURAL LANDS . FALL / WINTER 2020 7 crafting conservation .
how do conservation easements work ?
Jessica Neff-Boyd has been in love with Great Oak Farm for decades , long before she owned the 10-acre property in North Coventry Township , Chester County . She grew up about a mile from the farm , which she and husband Sean Boyd purchased in 2018 .
“ I remember this area before there was any major development , and I loved roaming the woods and pastures as a kid ,” said Jessica . “ My family knew the previous owners of Great Oak Farm , and sometimes my dad , my sisters , and I would walk up the road to watch their animals when they were on vacation . To us kids , this farm was a magical place .”
Surely some of that magic is inhabited by the 330-yearold white oak tree that shades the Boyd ’ s barn along Saint Peters Road . Designated as one of “ Penn ’ s Trees ,” it was alive when European settlers arrived and is one of fewer than 100 of these historic trees remaining in the Commonwealth . It is this stately tree that gives Great Oak Farm its name .
“ After buying the property , we learned about the connections of this land to the Lenape people , how the original deed was held by the Penn family , and all about the oak tree ,” said Jessica . “ My husband and I knew we had come across something very special , so when we were approached with the idea of a conservation easement we jumped at the opportunity .”
willing landowners . Jessica and Sean ’ s love of their land , appreciation for its natural beauty , and enthusiasm for conservation are all critical factors in conserving land .
“ I always say that conservation begins with a willing landowner ,” said Peter Williamson , vice president of conservation services for Natural Lands . “ Putting a property under the protection of a conservation easement is usually a lengthy process . It takes patient , motivated landowners for us to be successful in protecting their land .”
A conservation easement is a great tool for individuals , families , and even organizations who want to maintain ownership of their property but also want to ensure that the natural aspects of their land — rolling meadows , quiet forests , and chilly streams — will remain even after they ’ ve sold the land or passed it on to the next generation . The landowners work with a qualified conservation
Mae Axelrod