Farmers and other landowners in Alabama who want to help preserve and protect the land, natural resources and wildlife may be eligible for incentives from state and federal government agencies and private organizations.
As reported by Outdoor Alabama, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offers a federal grant program called the Landowner Incentive Program. The program provides technical and/or financial assistance for protecting habitat for native Alabama species with the greatest need due to decrease in population or loss of natural habitat.
The Landowner Incentive Program can provide up to 75% of the funding for a conservation project. Other incentives, such as conservation easements may also be offered. Any private landowner in Alabama is eligible to apply, and funding is awarded on a competitive basis. The Private Landowner Network provides examples of conservation projects that qualify, and contact information for applying to the Alabama Division of Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries.
The Forest Service of the United States Department of Agriculture points out a number of conservation incentive programs in Alabama. One of these is the Conservation Reserve Program, by which you can receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance from the Commodity Credit Corporation for planting resource-conserving vegetative covers.
Through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, you can receive payments for addressing soil, water, and other natural resource concerns on agricultural lands. You can apply for a contract with the USDA Service Center. Applications are selected for funding in order to optimize environmental benefits.
Landowners can voluntarily participate in the Alabama Forest Legacy Program, administered by the Alabama Forestry Commission. The objective of the program is to purchase environmentally important forestland through conservation easements and fee purchases, to preserve the land and prevent it from being developed and used for other purposes.
The Healthy Forests Reserve Program offers easements, 30-year contracts, and 10-year cost-share agreements to help landowners restore, enhance, and protect forest resources on private lands.
The Partners for Fish & Wildlife program, administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, provides technical and financial assistance to landowners to restore and enhance fish and wildlife habitat on their private property. If a project is approved, financing could be provided for 100% of the expenses.
To find out more about the above-mentioned programs or various others offered by federal and state government agencies and private organizations, you can follow the links on the website Forest Incentive Programs Available in Alabama.
As reported by Larry Wills in an article on ajc, not-for-profit land trusts, including the Alabama Land Trust, Inc. and the Georgia Land Trust, Inc. have been successful in setting aside land for preservation in the Deep South. Landowners can enter into a conservation easement, agreeing to leave certain portions of their property undeveloped forever, including unique habitats and scenic areas. The landowners can be entitled to a federal income tax deduction since the easement is considered to be a charitable donation.
The Internal Revenue Service has pointed out that there have been abuses of tax deductions for conservation easements. These abuses go against the intent of the law. In cases of improper deductions, the IRS will disallow the deduction and may impose penalties. In an article on the Private Landowner Network website, Stephen J. Small, Esq., who participated in drafting the tax statute and wrote the income tax regulations, provides an explanation of what are proper and improper deductions for conservation easements.
Sources:
Alabama Landowner Incentive Program, Private Landowner Network
Alabama’s Landowner Incentive Program, Outdoor Alabama
Charitable Contributions and Conservation Easements, IRS
Conservation Easements, IRS
Forest Incentive Programs Available in Alabama, United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service
Larry Wills, Tax incentives for land conservation work, ajc
Stephen J. Small, Esq., Proper and Improper Deductions for Conservation Easement Donations, Including Developer Donations, Private Landowner Network