While most landowners and neighbors honor conservation agreements and respect conserved lands, some concerning trends are growing at a disturbing pace. One of those trends is original owners challenging the very easements they set up. Terrafirma currently has 20 original owner extinguishment claims and 19 of them were filed after January 2020. Financial and familial motivations entice original landowners to go against the easement. Land trusts should conduct their due diligence and better understand the landowner’s envisioned future uses of property and any current or future family interests in the land.

You can read more about this trend and others in the 2025 Trends Briefing. 

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