Additional Sample Language for Gifts of Real Estate
If you own property that you would like to donate to the Conservancy through your will or trust, the following language, which you should share with your attorney, can be used:
I hereby give, devise and bequeath to The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit corporation, organized and existing under the laws of the District of Columbia, and with current business address of 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, Virginia 22203, tax identification number 53-0242652, all of that certain piece, parcel or lot of land owned by me and situated and being in the Town of _______ and more particularly described as follows: [full legal description of property]
I understand that the above-mentioned real estate may not qualify for protection under the Conservancy’s natural area program. If it does not qualify for protection, I hereby give my permission for it to be sold at the Conservancy’s sole discretion and the proceeds used as the Conservancy’s Board of Directors deems appropriate to further the purposes of the Conservancy.
Donating Conservation Land Through Your Will or Trust
If you would like to donate land to The Nature Conservancy through your estate, we encourage you to consider giving us the flexibility to accept the property without restrictions. When we receive the property, we will evaluate it and determine if it meets our conservation priorities. If it does not, we will sell the land and use the proceeds for our priority conservation work. If this is not satisfactory, then you may want to leave your property to us with a provision that, if we are unable to provide protection, it will go to another conservation organization with different priorities and criteria for protection; for example, a local land trust.
The following language, which you should share with your attorney, can be used to devise property to The Nature Conservancy:
I hereby give, devise and bequeath to The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit corporation, organized and existing under the laws of the District of Columbia, and with business address of 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, Virginia 22203, all of that certain piece, parcel or lot of land owned by me and situated and being in the Town of _______ and more particularly described as follows: [full legal description of property]
It is my wish that The Nature Conservancy preserve and protect this property in its natural state. I understand that at the time of my death, The Nature Conservancy shall inspect the property to determine whether it provides habitat for any rare, endangered or threatened species and whether it has any natural features or characteristics that should be protected. I understand that The Nature Conservancy will endeavor to provide for appropriate protection for the property or any portions of the property that then contain any such species or natural characteristics and features. This may include selling the property with conservation restrictions.
EITHER: If at the time of my death, The Nature Conservancy determines that it cannot protect the property, then the Conservancy may sell the property unrestricted.
OR: If at the time of my death, The Nature Conservancy determines that it cannot protect the property, then I leave the property to ___________ [local land trust or other conservation organization] if it agrees to protect it. If that organization will not protect it, then ___________ [decide whether you then wish to leave it unrestricted to the Conservancy, or to name a third organization as beneficiary].
