Conservation and Land Stewardship are Integral to the Orvis/Cushman & Wakefield Mission

While kindling tradition and sense of place, private land ownership provides one of the most straightforward opportunities to preserve open lands and intact ecosystems. Conservation easements with tax incentives, forestry management, and stream rehabilitation are just of a few of the ways that landscapes and habitats are being preserved for future generations by private landowners.

Many outstanding ranch and recreational properties are sold into development parcels, causing irreversible fragmentation and loss of habitat. If the right buyers had known these properties were for sale, they might have been preserved. Orvis/Cushman & Wakefield works toward the conservation of open land through private ownership via the following:

• Matching sellers who prefer to see their property transfer into the stewardship of conservation-minded buyers and investors who will preserve and enrich its natural value.

• Marketing specifically to buyer/investors who share a conservation ethic and can benefit from the tax incentives associated with conservation easements. Orvis’ longstanding leadership in conservation makes it a strong resource for these individuals (see Orvis Conservation).

• Conducting biological reports on each listing, analyzing ecosystem and fishery health, and outlining opportunities for habitat management and enhancement.

• Working closely with regional land trusts to educate buyers about the benefits and specific opportunities for placing conservation easements on their land.

• Introducing buyers to qualified design and construction professionals, experts in property, agricultural and wildlife management, as well as stream restoration.