What happens to the conservation easements that the Aquidneck Land Trust holds if the Land Trust ceases to exist?
The Aquidneck Land Trust has taken a number of steps to help ensure that it will be around in perpetuity to oversee the conservation easements that it has been entrusted with such as building a substantial stewardship endowment fund and legal defense fund, funds which the Land Trust continues to grow through fundraising initiatives. In addition, the Land Trust includes back-up grantee provisions in its conservation easements so that if the Land Trust ceases to exist there is a clear method by which the conservation easements will be transferred to other qualified entities. Furthermore, under Rhode Island law the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has the responsibility to oversee and uphold conservation easements in the event a land trust fails, etc.
