A conservation easement (“CE”) is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust (or government agency) that permanently restricts certain uses on the land in order to protect the land’s conservation values. Natural forests, wetlands, trails, scenic open space, working farms, timber tracts, and historic sites can all be protected by a CE. The CE will set out what can and cannot occur on the property and provides for the land trust’s ability to enforce the agreement. The CE, once signed by the landowner and the land trust, is recorded at the county courthouse and binds all future landowners. With a CE, the landowner continues to own the protected property and may use it, according to the limits of the CE. The landowner does not have to provide public access.