This section concerns matters of conservation practices and programs aimed at soil and water conservation and preservation of farmland and forestlands. Keywords: conservation easement, Farm Bill, Soil & Water Conservation, Voluntary Agricultural Districts

Presentation: Farmland Preservation Basics. This presentation covers conservation history and concepts, including conservation easements, farmland protection plans and voluntary agricultural districts.

Presentation: Decisions in Property Disposition: Conservation Easements, Property Taxes and Taxation on Sales. This presentation concerns the realities of residential/commercial development on rural land, and decision-support for those making the decision to sell for non-farm development or conservation easement protection. This presentation was first delivered in Chatham County, May 2024.

CONSERVATION EASEMENTS

This page covers the permanent restriction of land subdivision and use for purposes of soil and water conservation, including matters of use restriction, transaction matters, and tax treatment.

VOLUNTARY AGRICULTURAL DISTRICTS

This page provides narratives, templates, and resources regarding Voluntary Agricultural Districts, the key North Carolina farmland preservation program that encourages owners to keep their land in farm or forest use.

SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

This page concerns matters related to term-limited easements and restrictions resulting from incentives provided by federal, state, and local governments. Updates on soil and water conservation programs authorized by the federal Farm Bill may be found here.

Acknowledgements

Content loaded to Agricultural and Natural Resource Law portal, including narratives, workbooks and presentations, is supported by The North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission (TTFC) (Grant award 2019-001-16).