For nearly 25 years Friends of the Dunes has been involving the community in coastal dune conservation. Our mission is to conserve the natural diversity of coastal environments through community-supported education and stewardship programs. In 2000, we expanded our programs to include serving as a land trust in order to facilitate the conservation of coastal dune and bay systems in perpetuity by working with land owners who share this goal.
As a land trust, we work with willing sellers to purchase or receive donations of coastal properties and conservation easements. Conservation easements allow the landowner to continue owning the property, but create permanent deed restrictions that protect natural resources. We are affiliated with the Land Trust Alliance, a nation-wide organization, and adopted their standards and practices for responsible land trust operations. In addition to setting aside lands in perpetuity, landowners may also reap tax benefits such as income tax deductions and reduced estate taxes.
We are most interested in working with landowners of properties that support coastal or bay habitat, are adjacent or near to lands already under protection, and include unique qualities such as intact dune forest, dune plant communities, or coastal access.
If you are interested in conserving coastal property, or would like an update on current projects, please do not hesitate to contact Lisa Hoover, Land Trust Committee Chair, at (707) 444-1397.