What Citizens Can Do
Georgia is blessed with remarkable land. Our unmatched scenic vistas and diverse landscapes afford us an infinite variety of beauty and recreation and our farms and timberlands help feed, clothe and shelter the world. The land filters our water supply as rainfall makes its way into streams or underground aquifers, restoring and purifying this essence of life. Significant slices of American history have played out on Georgia's clay hills and sandy coastal plains, so our land reconnects us with our past. When land gives us so much, we each have a charge to keep it protected and pass it on. Whether you control extensive acreage; a small parcel; or none at all; you can participate in conserving Georgia. Every Georgian plays a stewardship role in improving, caring for and passing our land forward to future generations.
As a large landowner
Georgia's farms, forests, and wild lands are fundamental to our culture of conservation. Without the strong tradition of responsible stewardship of Georgia's large landowners, many of our most scenic, economically important and environmentally significant sites would long ago have disappeared. Your land is your legacy. What will happen to your land after you’re gone? Consider donating a conservation easement over your property. You’ll be able to use and enjoy the property and keep it in your family’s ownership and care for generations to come while preserving the land’s conservation values forever. You’ll contribute to maintaining the quality of Georgia’s environment and you’ll also qualify for substantial state and federal tax benefits.
At the local level
Do you want to build better communities by protecting your local greenspace and facilitating smart growth? If you are a part of local level government in Georgia, join many of your colleagues and place a Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) or bond measure on your next ballot with greenspace conservation as a focus, or find other sources of local funding for land conservation. You’ll be able to use these funds to match state Land Conservation Program dollars as well as private and federal sources of financial support to protect the landscapes in your jurisdiction that are most important to you and your citizens before they are lost. Civic groups like Rotary, Kiwanis, Optimists, and others can incorporate local land conservation into their service projects.
As a tax attorney, accountant, land use planner, or real estate professional
Advise your clients to protect property and make donations for land conservation efforts. They can take advantage of tax incentives and contribute to the quality of life for all Georgians. Besides the outright donation of land or a conservation easement, options include donating land to a land trust with a life estate thereby allowing the owner to live on their land for the rest of their life and then convey the property into permanent preservation. A landowner can ensure the preservation of their land after their death through a willed bequest to a public agency or land trust who will preserve it permanently. Or if there is a public agency or land trust willing to purchase the property for conservation purposes, the owner can sell their property for less than its current market value and still receive tax benefits.
As a private citizen
Not everyone is active in local government or owns vast tracts of land that can be preserved through conservation easements or other techniques, but opportunities still exist to play a major part. When you complete your Georgia income tax form, check the box next to the Statewide Land Conservation Program and donate a few dollars every year. Your contribution will be spent on securing the permanent conservation of critical lands in Georgia. When you renew your vehicle registration, purchase a wildlife tag. The proceeds support state-funded habitat projects benefiting animals across our state. You can also become an active member of a national or local land trust or conservation organization that works in Georgia. These are private, non-profit organizations that actively work to conserve land for its natural, recreational, scenic, historical and productive values. Land trusts can accept donated lands, bequests, and conservation easements or the funds to purchase land for permanent protection. About 50 such groups operate across Georgia and volunteers are always welcome. For a list of these groups, you can visit this link: www.gepinstitute.com/landtrust.asp.
At home
Conservation starts at home. Buffer and protect your stream banks and other environmentally sensitive areas. Minimize the amount of fertilizers and chemicals used on lawns and landscaping. Recycle paper, plastics, glass, and other products. Reduce the amount of water and energy you use by installing low flow fixtures and energy efficient appliances. Make your home and yard a model of conservation for your community. You'll save money and contribute to a cleaner environment.