Your Land. Your Legacy.
You have spent years caring for this place. We can help you protect it - forever.
Why Landowners Protect Their Land
Some people protect their land because they have walked it since childhood and cannot imagine it becoming something else. Others do it to honor parents or grandparents who cleared the fields, built the barn, planted the orchard.
Some are thinking about taxes and estate planning. Some just want to know - really know - that the woods their kids played in will still be woods when their grandchildren are grown.
There is no single reason. But the instinct is the same: this place matters, and I want it to stay this way.
Since 1986, the Door County Land Trust has helped landowners do exactly that. Not by taking over. Not by telling you what to do. But by offering tools, expertise, and a promise: if you choose to protect your land, we will honor that choice - permanently.
Whichever path you choose, the result is the same: your land stays protected, no matter who owns it next.
Since 1986
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- acres protected forever
- landowner partners
- years keeping our promise
Options for Landowners
Every property is different, and every landowner situation is different. The right path often comes down to one question: do you want to keep owning your land, or transfer it to DCLT?
Keep Your Land
Protect your property permanently while you continue to own and use it.
Keep your land. Protect it permanently.
Conservation Easements
A legal agreement that limits future development while you retain ownership. You can still live on the land, farm it, sell it, or pass it to heirs.
Good for: Landowners who want to stay on their land while ensuring it is never subdivided or developed in the future.
Transfer Your Land to DCLT
Pass ownership to DCLT through a gift or sale, ensuring lasting protection and public benefit.
Give your land a future.
Land Donations
Donate ecologically significant property to be protected forever and open to the public. Potential tax deductions available.
Good for: Landowners without heirs, those with appreciated land, or those wanting their land to become a public treasure.
Sell for conservation - on your terms.
Bargain Sales
Sell your property for less than appraised value. Receive cash, avoid some capital gains, and qualify for a charitable deduction on the difference.
Good for: Landowners who need liquidity but want to ensure their land is protected, not developed.
A straightforward conservation sale.
Sale at Fair Market Value
Sell your property to DCLT at its full appraised value. A direct sale that permanently protects land we have identified as a conservation priority.
Good for: Landowners who want or need full market value for their property while ensuring it is protected, not developed.
Leave it protected.
Bequest in Will
Name DCLT as a beneficiary in your estate plan. Keep using the land during your lifetime; ensure its protection afterward.
Good for: Long-term planners who want to retain use now and leave a lasting legacy with minimal paperwork today.
"It was an opportunity to preserve a large swath of land that couldn't be accomplished by simply keeping the acreage as private property."
— Ariel Pate, who donated 40 acres in memory of her father
Steps to Protect Your Land
It starts with a conversation. No paperwork, no pressure. Just a chance to talk about your land, your goals, and what matters to you.
You contact us.
Phone, email, or inquiry form - whatever is comfortable. Tell us a little about your property and what is on your mind.
We talk.
One of our staff will ask questions and listen. We will learn about your land, your family situation, and what you are hoping to accomplish.
We visit the property.
Seeing the land is an essential step before moving ahead with any project, so we can understand its conservation values. You are welcome to join us or not - your choice.
We explore options together.
Based on our shared goals and the property, we will explain which tools might be a good fit - and which might not. There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
You decide.
If you want to move forward, we guide you through the process step by step. If you need time, take it. There is no rush and no pressure.
This is your decision, your timeline, and your land. We are here to help - not to push.
Potential Tax Benefits
Land gifts may provide significant tax advantages:
- Potential tax deduction
- Capital gains tax relief (for bargain sales)
- Estate tax reduction through bequests
Questions Landowners Ask
Will I lose control of my land?
Do I have to give my land away, or can I be paid for it?
Does the government get involved?
What happens to my land after I protect it?
What if my kids want to build a house someday?
What does it cost me?
For conservation easements, landowners are responsible for half the cost of a new property survey. We may also invite landowners to make a voluntary contribution to our stewardship endowment and legal defense fund, which helps ensure we can monitor and uphold the easement for generations to come. This contribution is appreciated but never required.
For fee land donations, the Land Trust covers nearly all transaction-related costs. In all cases, landowners are responsible for obtaining their own legal, financial, and tax advice.
Can I change my mind later?
What if I am not sure yet?
Start a Conversation
Tell us a little about your land and your goals. All inquiries are confidential — no pressure, no obligation.
Prefer to call? Reach our land protection team at (920) 746-1359
