Home Objectives of the Trust Some of our Programs Conservation Research Forest Conservation Private Stewardship Fund Raising Merchandise Adopt an Eagle Protected Properties Membership Contact Us Links	Private Stewardship Prince Edward Island is unique in Canada in that nearly 90% of our land is privately owned. Private landowners have a critical role to play in land conservation here, and for this reason we have developed an extensive Private Stewardship program. Landowners of ecologically significant areas have been contacted to exchange  information on their lands and why they are significant.  Incentives are available to those who voluntarily protect their lands under legislation. To date, private owners have protected over 2,000 acres across PEI and we are working with a number of additional owners who hope to have their lands protected this year (some of these are associated with our Forest Conservation program). The owners are generally people who have a strong attachment to their properties and want to ensure the natural features are protected for many generations to come. Legal protection involves creation of a conservation agreement and designation of the land under PEI’s Natural Areas Protection Act. The agreement - called a restrictive covenant on PEI, but known as a conservation easement in other jurisdictions - is a very flexible tool that can be tailored to the wishes of the landowner. While the significant feature of the land is protected, appropriate uses of the property can continue. The conservation agreement and Natural Areas designation documents are registered with the deed to the land and run with it. The landowner is still the legal owner and is free to sell, bequeath, or donate the property, but the protection remains. Island Nature Trust works with willing landowners to prepare these documents and navigate them through the legal process at no charge to the landowner. There are a number of Federal and Provincial financial incentives available such as federal tax credits and provincial property tax relief. We employ a full range of tools to protect Natural Areas. Some options are given in the table below: Do you wish to dispose of the property? YES SALE DONATION Outright Outright Life Estate Life Estate Restrictive Covenants By Devise Sale Back Restrictive Covenants Right of 1st Refusal Installment Sale NO Management Agreement Restrictive Covenant Lease
ISLAND NATURE TRUST P.O. Box 265 Charlottetown PE C1A 7K4 Phone: (902) 566-9150 | Fax: (902) 628-6331 email: intrust@eastlink.ca