How we protect land
Our Land Conservation program protects important green spaces for nature and people. We work to restore fragmented forests, improve ecosystems and create places where people can connect with nature. By working with landowners, we’re helping to preserve these valuable areas and create a healthier, greener city.
Conservation Easements
Privately owned land that has been protected with a Casey Trees-held conservation easement remains in private ownership. The landowner continues to own and manage the land while limiting future development on the property. Conservation easements can also be placed on public lands such as forests, parks, streams and wetlands.
Land Donation & Acquisition
The landowner sells or grants all rights, title and interest in the property. We maintain perpetual stewardship and management responsibility for the land. We may place a conservation easement on the land and transfer ownership to another qualified agency, organization or nonprofit.
What are the benefits of these conservation efforts?
Donating land to Casey Trees guarantees that the land will be protected in perpetuity and provides remarkable benefits. Land donors often receive substantial tax deductions, free themselves from land management responsibilities, and maintain the land’s value while safeguarding it from future development—ensuring it stays intact for future generations. This action not only protects essential habitats and beautiful landscapes but also enhances environmental health, protects natural resources, mitigates negative impacts of climate change, and promotes community well-being.
They enhance recreational opportunities
They mitigate the negative impacts of climate change
They protect valuable natural resources
They may qualify as a tax-deductible charitable donation
our success stories
CRISPUS ATTUCKS PARK
The Crispus Attucks Park conservation easement, held by Casey Trees, is a testament to community-driven urban green space preservation in Washington, DC. Located in the Bloomingdale neighborhood, this park was transformed from a former telephone cable yard covered in concrete and asphalt into a vibrant community garden and gathering space. The easement, established around 2014, ensures that the park will remain protected from development and preserved as open space in perpetuity. Since becoming an easement, the park has flourished under community stewardship. Local volunteers have been instrumental in maintaining and improving the space, planting trees, flowers, and creating a welcoming environment for residents. This conservation easement not only protects the physical space but also preserves a model of successful community-led urban green space development. It demonstrates how partnerships between local organizations like the Crispus Attucks Development Corporation and environmental nonprofits like Casey Trees can create lasting positive impacts on urban environments and community well-being.
HELLBENDER HILL
Affectionately known as “Hellbender Hill” after the DC brewery that once stood nearby, this Casey Trees easement site is located in the Lamond Riggs neighborhood of Northeast DC and is owned and managed by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Over time, Casey Trees has protected and stewarded this green space, engaging in ongoing activities such as cleanup efforts, implementing green stormwater infrastructure, controlling erosion, and planting ecologically appropriate trees and understory plants. These enhancements help keep neighbors shaded, reduce noise from nearby New Hampshire Ave and the railroad, and aid in absorbing stormwater runoff. Bordered by New Hampshire Ave NE and Oglethorpe Street NE, this easement spans approximately 23,249 square feet, making it a larger urban space with a dense canopy and a variety of trees ranging from saplings to mature specimens, featuring impressive tree diversity including locust, elm, maple, pine, and oak. It has truly transformed into a forested area for the community to enjoy.
Our Conservation Programs
Looking for ways to get involved in land conservation or protect green space? Casey Trees has programs to protect land in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. You can donate land, nominate green spaces for protection, or join us at a stewardship event. If you have questions, please contact conservation@caseytrees.org.
