Finch Farm: A Conservation Easement Success Story

LandVest’s Real Estate Consulting Group has been honored and proud to be involved in the permanent protection of Finch Farm – an iconic 45-acre farm in North Salem, Westchester County, New York that is located in an area identified by the Wildlife Conservation Society as having some of the highest levels of native plants, animals and insects in the northeastern United States. Research by the Bedford Audubon Society has also documented that the grassland fields on the property, together with adjacent and nearby grasslands, are the only breeding areas for bobolink and meadowlark birds in Westchester, Putnam and Rockland Counties.
A conservation easement, which will permanently protect the property, was generously donated to the Westchester Land Trust in December 2012. The easement adds to approximately 105 acres across the road that was previously restricted by the same donor as well as approximately 15 acres to the south that is also restricted. LandVest advised the landowners throughout the planning and implementation process and provided both valuation and baseline documentation reporting services, as required by the IRS for qualified donations of conservation easements.

For more information on LandVest’s valuation services, please contact Jay Closser at jclosser@landvest.com and for more information on LandVest’s baseline documentation services please contact Nick Pratt at npratt@landvest.com.