Conservation Corner: August 26, 2002

Mississippi Land Trust Announces Web Site
by James L. Cummins

Mississippi has seen significant growth in the past several years and we continue to grow, attracting new businesses and residents, as well as tourists. But the very reason many people call Mississippi their home is our rich history, prairies, red clay hills, bottomlands and bayous, coastal savannas, longleaf pine forests and scenic rivers and streams. We must actively preserve these unique characteristics of our state.

Mississippi's private citizens own approximately 75% of the state's land. For many Mississippi landowners, including myself, their property is more than a financial asset; it is part of their family's history, their community and their state. But the landscape is changing. Today about 80 percent of all Mississippians live in cities and towns, compared to about 25 percent 50 years ago. As our urban population grows, natural habitats are displaced.

The Mississippi countryside is changing too. One of the most significant factors affecting our landscape is the continued breakup of family-owned farms. Family-owned farms and recreational lands are affected by changing economics and the increasing tax burden on property owners. Passing on a family farm to the next generation is a time-honored tradition in Mississippi. However, estate taxes, which can be as high as 55 percent of an estate's total value, may force heirs to sell all or part of a family property.

Landowners and wildlife enthusiasts throughout the State of Mississippi will be surprised to find a wealth of information concerning fish, wildlife and plants in the available on the internet. The site, www.misslandtrust.org, is hosted by the Mississippi Land Trust and designed by TecInfo. Once on the home page visitors can select an area of interest. The site is quick loading and easy to navigate, filled with useful information and stunning wildlife and nature photography by Michael Kelly. New information is constantly being added to the site, so visit often and watch it grow.

The site is intended to help Mississippi landowners understand one of the most flexible and effective means of conserving and protecting private property: the conservation easement. A conservation easement is a legal agreement that ensures a property will be managed in perpetuity according to the landowner's desires. It may also qualify the landowner for tax benefits.

Conservation easements can assist landowners in protecting their land, wildlife habitat, scenic areas or historic buildings. Every conservation easement document is individually crafted and reflects the special qualities of the land protected and the needs of the landowner.

The Mississippi Land Trusts's internet site is filled with useful information on the organization including a section describing it, all about conservation easements, its conservation initiatives, various financial assistance programs, a staff profile, current news, how to support the land trust, all about charitable giving, the organization's gift shop and how to contact the Mississippi Land Trust.


James L. Cummins is Executive Director of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Stoneville, Mississippi. Known as "Wildlife Mississippi," the Foundation is a non-profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and plant resources throughout Mississippi