|
2009 Traditional Artisans
Preview Show
September 12 & 13, 2009
3115 Ridge Road
Perkasie (Bedminster) PA
Note: for GPS or
mapquest directions use: Perkasie
CLICK HERE
SAVE THE DATE!!!
Fifth Annual Barns and
Farms Tour October 18, 2009
11am-4pm
"Rain or Shine"
CLICK HERE

Accreditation Status
Awarded to BLC
CLICK HERE





Photos by David Stone |
Our 11th year of Land Preservation
in Pennsylvania
A regional land
conservancy, conserving the land and resources throughout upper
Bucks County.
Who We Are:
We are a regional, nonprofit, independent land trust, incorporated in
August 1997. Operating in accordance with the Standards and
Practices of the Land Trust Alliance, we are working to conserve
land and natural resources in upper Bucks County, Pennsylvania. This
area is approximately 40 miles north of Philadelphia and known for
its charm, rural lifestyle, historic character, and natural
landscapes. While our name refers to Bedminster Township, one of small
townships that is centrally located in this area, our outreach and
land preservation work takes us throughout the area of Bucks County.
What We Do:
We are committed to the protection and preservation of the
agricultural heritage and rural lifestyle that still characterizes
Bedminster and neighboring communities in upper Bucks County. To
accomplish this, we must acquire conservation easements on land,
either donated (and thus tax-deductible), or purchased. We educate
landowners on the economic and ethical value of conservation
easements, and encourage and help them to protect their properties.
To this end, we have established an easement fund, and as it grows
we will be able to purchase easement rights from those landowners
who meet our criteria.
How We Are Funded:
Our funding currently comes from
membership fees, donations, fund raising activities,
easement service fees and grants.
What is a Conservation
Easement?
In simple terms, a conservation easement is a legal agreement
between the owner of a property and a nonprofit organization or
government agency in which the owner agrees to restrict future uses
of a parcel of land. The landowner and any subsequent owners must
comply with the provisions of the easement. Typical restrictions may
include limitations on any additional homes on the property, and
restrictions on the disturbance or removal of vegetation or wildlife
habitat. Since properties are unique in their own ways, each
easement is different as well. In granting the easement, the
landowner retains some rights, but voluntarily gives up others. The
land stays in private ownership and can therefore be resold—but the
conservation easement stays with the land forever. In fact, for the
Bedminster Land Conservancy to accept an easement, it must be
written as “forever”. Since a conservation easement may be either
donated or purchased, there can be significant financial benefits to
the owner and future heirs. We are happy to assist landowners to get
in touch with experts on the legal and financial aspects of
conservation easements.
2009 Bedminster Land
Conservancy Board of Directors
-
Wendy P. Battisti,
President
-
Sandra Cowperthwaite,
Vice President
-
Abby Brooks, Treasurer
-
Barbara Thomas,
Secretary
-
Dan Devery
-
Laurie Ermentrout
-
Eve Marschark
-
Ted Mullins
-
John Spiegel
Thank you, Gib, for
12 years!
Gib Battisti, one of our
founding members, has recently retired from the Board of Directors
after serving for 12 years, since the conservancy’s inception. Gib
was instrumental in the formation of the conservancy and significant
in developing the policies and procedures that led to our
accreditation with the national Land Trust Alliance. Through all of
those years, Gib served as a monitor, and oversaw the training of
all the subsequent monitors. We don’t know how many miles or acres
of walking that represents, but it is a very significant
contribution to the work of the conservancy! We are pleased that Gib
will continue to support the conservancy by monitoring the easement
properties and providing his stewardship expertise to landowners and
other monitors.
Board of Directors
Director of Conservation,
Barbara Drew
Committees: