On Wednesday, January 28, from 6:00–8:00pm, Greenbelt and the West Newbury Open Space Committee will host “Deciding the Future of Your Land,” a free workshop for local landowners focused on conservation options, estate planning, and land valuation. Light dinner will be provided.
“Many landowners come to us feeling overwhelmed by what can seem like a confusing array of conservation tools, tax considerations, and estate-planning decisions,” says Vanessa Johnson-Hall, Director of Conservation at Greenbelt. “Whether you’ve owned your property for decades or recently inherited it, the desire to maintain its environmental integrity and protect it from future development is often strong — but competing priorities and knowing where to start can be the hardest part.”
To help landowners navigate these choices with confidence, this workshop will provide clear, practical information about options for permanently protecting land as open space, working farmland, or wildlife habitat. Presenters will break down commonly used conservation tools, outline potential tax benefits, and explain how land protection can support broader estate-planning goals — including why early planning is so important. The program will also highlight real-world case studies from local landowners who have successfully conserved their properties with Greenbelt.
There will be ample time for Q&A and informal conversations for landowners who have specific questions.
Featured presenters include:
- Vanessa Johnson-Hall, Director of Conservation, Greenbelt, who will discuss land conservation options, including tools, compensation, and potential tax benefits.
- Jim Monahan, Senior Advisor, LandVest, a longstanding real estate and land-consulting firm, who will discuss the role of appraisals in land conservation planning.
- Althea B. Volper, Esq., Dalton & Finegold, LLP (Amesbury), who will provide an overview of estate planning and explain how conservation options can support estate-planning goals.
This workshop will take place at the West Newbury Town Offices, 1st Floor Meeting Room and will run from 6:00–8:00pm. The event is free and open to the public.
Click here to register. Please email Elizabeth Harkness at eharkness@ecga.org for more information or with any questions.