Conservation Easements

Number of State Agencies Involved in Acquiring Conservation Easements, Seeking Public Access on Conservation Easements, and Estimated Success in Acquiring Public Access Rights

Thirty-nine states reported that they acquire conservation easements on properties. Of these, only 27 states even attempt to acquire public access on these conservation lands. The success in acquiring public access is highly variable and is likely to have regional differences. For example, the Northeast region appears to have greater success in this endeavor than other regions. The reasons for this greater relative success in the Northeast need to be investigated.