Southern Conservation Trust invites farm and forest property owners to learn how they can maintain their land in a natural state and receive significant tax benefits. The free program “Conservation Easements and Land Donations- What’s in it for me?” will be held on the evening of Thursday Aug. 10 at the Wendell Coffee Golf Center on Georgia Hwy 74 in Tyrone. The program is sponsored by Brent Scarbrough and Company and Scarbrough-Rolader Development.

Southern Conservation Trust, a local non-profit land trust, works with landowners, developers and communities to permanently preserve working and natural lands through donations of property and conservation easements.

“Many large property owners, especially those who have owned land here for generations, are seeing development around them and feel pressured to sell. A land trust offers several ways to preserve all or a portion of a property as it is, which may reduce income, estate and property taxes. And many folks are not aware that the Georgia legislature recently approved a state income tax credit for conservation,” stated Trust Executive Director Abby Jordan.

The Trust also works with developers who offer greenspace in their new communities, a popular concept called “conservation subdivisions”. “Preserving our community’s farms, forests and natural areas is a win-win for everyone, making our neighborhoods more desirable for new and long-time residents,” explained Jordan.

The community program will be held from 7-9 pm Thursday Aug. 10 at the Wendell Coffee Golf Center, 1963 Highway 74 N, between Interstate 85 and Sandy Creek Rd. Sharing information will be representatives from the Georgia Land Trust Service Center in Athens, the Georgia Forestry Commission, and a tax consultant.

For more information, contact Southern Conservation Trust at 770-486-7774 or info@sctlandtrust.org

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