60 Acres
conservation easement
2008

On November 5, 2008, Wayne and Carolanne Scott of Wellsboro signed documents with the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy creating a conservation easement agreement to protect 60 acres of their property in Tioga County’s Shippen Township.

The property is entirely wooded and contains over 1,300 feet of Gray Hollow Run.  It is in view from the Pine Creek Rail-Trail and U.S. Route 6, and thus the conservation of the property will protect the view of the area’s landscape.

The Scotts had long planned to conserve their land. This year, after careful discussions, they conserved their hillside property by donating a conservation easement to the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy. The couple was anxious to protect their property because they want to help maintain Tioga County’s rural character. Wayne said, “The conservation easement gives the people of Tioga County a piece of property within the County that will remain in its natural state forever; a piece of property that offers peace and quiet along with solitude.”

In reflecting on the project, Renee’ Carey of the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy stated, “Protecting forest land from future development, particularly along streams, provides immeasurable benefits both to Pennsylvania’s natural environment, and to the people of Pennsylvania. The Scotts have chosen to create a conservation easement as the most effective way to protect their property.”

An easement helps landowners voluntarily limit development on productive farmland and forestland, and other meaningful natural and community places. The landowners continue to own, manage, and pay taxes on the land, and can sell their land; however, the conservation easement permanently remains on the property.  The Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy’s role is to protect the property by assuring the land is maintained according to the easement’s provisions, even when ownership changes.