Landowner Conservation Compensation

We have extensive experience partnering with landowners and can help you protect the valuable natural resources on your land while enabling connections to multiple potential revenue streams to maximize the landowners opportunity at recognizing equity while protecting critical habitat.

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Where Does The Compensation Come From?

When a land development project, like a housing subdivision, highway widening, or other construction work, disturbs natural resources, state and federal agencies require mitigation to compensate for the loss of that resource as part of their permit. When a project meets the necessary criteria we then sell them the credits they need for the permit.

Blackpond Stream Restoration Project on Crosswinds Farm, Fauquier County, 2023

What Does Environmental Restoration Mean For My Land?

Has a stream, wetland or riparian buffer restoration opportunity been identified on your property? If so, Davey Mitigation would like to give you a clear explanation of the opportunity and the process.

Environmental restoration, often called “mitigation,” restores streams and wetlands to their historical condition and location. Working hand in hand with the landowner, Davey Mitigation restores degraded streams and wetlands in a manner that will accomodate a landowner’s current and future land use. To accomplish the restoration and meet standards for environmental improvement, we will fill ditches and canals to restore drained wetlands, re-contour and stabilize stream banks, and replant the area with native hardwood trees and natural grasses. We perform the work while ensuring your property remains profitable and productive.

Unlike most water quality programs and best management practices, Davey Mitigation compensates a landowner with a per-acre payment. The compensation is to allow us to conduct the work and place a permanent conservation easement over the restored land. Given our work is permanent, the per-acre compensation typically exceeds the appraised value of the land. In addition to the per-acre compensation, we will often install and improve farm infrastructure while completing our work. These improvements could include new fencing, cattle watering stations, improved farm roads, and new crossings over streams, to name just a few.

Wiehlenorth Beforeafter — Before and after shots of a Northern Virginia Stream Restoration Bank in Reston, Virginia.

Conservation Easement FAQs

Q: What Is A Conservation Easement?

A: A conservation easement is a written agreement between a landowner and the State of North Carolina that protects water quality by maintaining or establishing natural vegetation in a streamside or wetland parcel or buffer. All conservation easements used for the North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program (EEP) purposes are perpetual and will forever transfer with the land to maintain its integrity. The property under conservation easement cannot be used for commercial, residential or industrial development or cultivation, but instead will be kept in a natural state.

Q: Does A Conservation Easement Apply To All Of My Property?

A: No, the easement would only apply to the portion of land specifically identified and agreed upon between the landowner and Restoration Systems.

Q: What Kind Of Land Interests Davey Mitigation?

A: Davey Resource Group is interested in property that could be restored to provide for the
improvement of water quality. Davey Resource Group wants sites that have a high probability of
success based on hydrology, soils, and vegetation. Priority is given to sites that need re-vegetation
or erosion control. Davey Resource Group is also interested in areas that have rare plants or
animals, endangered aquatic species, or degraded stream

Browse Our Mitigation Solutions

The Six-Step Mitigation Process

STEP 1

At no cost to you, allow Davey Mitigation to evaluate your land for mitigation by granting access to "walk the site." Davey Mitigation’s team of experienced scientists will examine the property in careful detail, making sure it is a good candidate for restoration while allowing the remainder of the property to be used in the same manner that it was before.

~2-4 weeks

STEP 2

If Davey Mitigation believes the land has marketable mitigation potential, we will provide a standard restoration and protection contract. We ask that the landowner carefully review the contract with family and other owners of the property to understand exactly what the legal responsibilities are regarding the property if it is restored and protected for mitigation.

~2 weeks

STEP 3

If Davey Mitigation secures a buyer, we perform a detailed title search to assure the land is in no way encumbered in a manner that conflicts with permanent protection. If satisfied with the legal status of the property, we close on the contract and assume responsibility for the conservation easement.

~1-2 years

STEP 4

Davey Mitigation's scientists and contractors plan and design the restoration project to meet the unique conditions of the property. Several hundred hours are spent in the field and office engineering the restoration so that it will be sustainable, beneficial and compatible with existing and future land use.

~1 - 2 years (simultaneous with Step 3)

STEP 5

Upon receiving all necessary permits, Davey Mitigation will construct the restoration and plant the area with appropriate, native vegetation—often more than 600 trees per acre— which are then protected by the conservation easement.

~up to 1 year, varies by project size

STEP 6

Davey Mitigation will monitor and maintain the restoration. The landowner has no direct role or responsibility for the project, although they must follow the terms of the conservation easement over the long term.

~10 years of monitoring & maintenance