Events

Time: 9am-12pm (Part A), 1:30pm – 4:30pm (Part B)

Where: McInnes Cooper, Purdy's Wharf Tower II
1300-1969 Upper Water Street, Halifax, NS

Cost: $50 (lunch provided)

RSVP to Jen Organ, Workshop Coordinator, by March 5th, 2010 at  j.organ@nsnt.ca 

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The Nova Scotia Nature Trust and East Coast Environmental Law (ECELAW) are pleased to be offering workshops to land conservation organizations and lawyers regarding the growing field of conservation easements. There are few lawyers in Canada experienced in developing conservation easements. As a result, lawyers from the U.S. often advise land trusts in Nova Scotia to ensure effective and strong agreements are developed.  With efforts to increase the capacity of lawyers in Nova Scotia who are familiar with conservation easements, the Nova Scotia Nature Trust has welcomed an experienced lawyer from the U.S. to facilitate a day-long workshop for those interested in Conservation Easements. We are extremely fortunate for this opportunity to occur in Nova Scotia, and we hope that you are able to come and take advantage of this opportunity to learn about this exciting and growing field of environmental law!

About the Facilitator: A partner of K & L Gates in Seattle, Washington, Konrad Liegel specializes in various legal practices including land conservation and the legal arena surrounding these initiatives. He is legal advisor to the American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts, and has worked on countless conservation easements and other land conservation initiatives with land trusts.  He has also done many conservation law and conservation easement seminars and workshops, including several presentations at the U.S. Land Trust Rally.  Prior to entering the field of law, Konrad was actively engaged in ecosystem restoration while working with various non-profit organizations. This, coupled with his extensive experience in environmental law, makes Konrad an ideal individual to host the workshop on Conservation Easements.

For more information please visit Konrad’s website at: http://klgates.com/professionals/detail.aspx?professional=3711

Workshop Summary

Conservation easements are legal tools designed and implemented by lawyers, land trusts and private land owners to ensure that property will forever be managed by future landowners to protect specific conservation values and purposes. Developing an effective conservation easement and easement program requires a lot of time, patience, and resources, and a very specialized type of expertise.  This workshop has been designed to advance conservation easement expertise and awareness in Nova Scotia.

This one day workshop has been designed to serve two purposes and has been split into two corresponding workshops:

1. Conservation Easements 101,  March 29^th 9-12.

This workshop provides an overview of all aspects of conservation easements.  It is intended for  three audiences:  a) land trusts or groups/individuals using or about to begin using conservation easements in Nova Scotia  and needing greater guidance on specifics  b)  groups contemplating  the land trust/conservation easement concept and needing an introduction  c)  conservation lawyers looking to build their professional knowledge in this increasingly popular conservation tool.

Sample topics:

• The range of conservation tools, and when easements make sense
• Types of conservation easements, what they can/cannot do
• Elements of an effective easement program (policies, easement project selection, easement planning, baseline studies, monitoring, stewardship and defence)
• Financial/estate planning/appraisal/property tax implications of conservation easements
• Key elements of effective conservation easement documents
• Conservation easements “lessons learned” from around the world
• Q and A’s on conservation easements
• Key considerations for cross-border easements

1. Advanced Conservation Easements 1:30-4:30

This is a more in depth workshop on conservation easements is intended for lawyers interested in this emerging aspect of the legal field.  It may also be appropriate for experienced land trusts who would like to advance their knowledge surrounding this legal tool.

Sample topics:

• Effective easement drafting
• Ensuring enforceability
• Case law and what we’ve learned to inform easement drafting, risk areas
• Easement amendments

The Nature Trust and ECELAW gratefully acknowledge funding for these workshops
provided by:  Environment Canada's EcoAction Community Funding Program