Monitor Protected Land

In order to ensure that a conservation easement's terms are being upheld, DLC representatives (staff and/or trained volunteers) visit each property at least once a  year to observe and document existing conditions. These visits are typically scheduled in advance with the landowner, who may or may not choose to accompany the monitors. 

During the visits, DLC posts boundary signs that indicate the limits of the easement area.  A monitoring report form is completed and photographs are taken by the monitoring team. The focus of the visit is to assure that the conservation values of the particular site are preserved and to note any possible violations of the easement terms. One example, which was actually discovered by land trust monitors on an easement area within Davidson, is the intrusion by horseback riders from off the site into an area where no horseback trails were allowed.

DLC shares the monitoring report with the landowner and offers advice on dealing with violations or other management issues.  A common example is the  control of exotic invasive plants.