Donate Your Land
Donating your forestland to New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF), donating a conservation easement, or selling your land to NEFF at a bargain price are direct and powerful ways to conserve your forestland forever, protecting a place that has personal meaning to you while furthering forest conservation in the region. NEFF welcomes and has the resources to manage donations and easements of widely varied sizes. The more than 150 Community Forests NEFF owns throughout New England range from 10 to more than 3,000 acres. NEFF stewards an additional 145 conservation easements, from five acres to more than 760,000 acres.
NEFF also accepts gifts of buildings or other non-forested real-estate for resale to support our conservation work.
All forms of real-estate donations may allow donors to qualify for charitable income tax deductions.
Gifts of Forestland
The straightforward gift of a land parcel is the simplest way to transfer ownership. Most community forests donated to NEFF are named to honor the donor or their family. Making a gift is as easy as drafting a deed.
Gifts of Forestland via the Pooled Timber Income Fund
Fund participants donate their land to NEFF, and the timber on that land is contributed to a pooled income fund. In turn, donors receive tax benefits and an even stream of lifetime income. Learn more on our Pooled Timber Income Fund page.
Donation of a Conservation Easement
A conservation easement is a legal agreement between a landowner and a conservation organization such as NEFF (or, alternatively, a public agency). The agreement limits or extinguishes rights to develop the property through construction, subdivision, or mining. The easement donor retains ownership of the property. The easement holder (NEFF) accepts the obligation to ensure that the restrictions are respected forever.
Bargain Sale
Selling your productive forestland to NEFF at a price below market value can provide a lasting conservation legacy and provide you with immediate tax benefits.
Donations of Other Real Estate (“Trade Lands”)
You may donate a home, building or non-forestlands to NEFF for resale. NEFF uses the proceeds to further support its mission.
Learn More
More helpful information can be found in our Learn section:
How to Conserve Your Land | Easement Stewardship | Conservation FAQs
For more details on making a bequest to NEFF, please visit our Leave a Bequest page. For more details on planned giving options, please visit our Planned Giving Options page.