Mississippi bluff
south of Lansing protected

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With conservation easement,
land is still in private hands but permanently protected

This article was written and posted on INHF's website in January 1999. 

A new conservation easement in Allamakee County will provide habitat for wildlife, a natural view for Mississippi River travelers, and tax benefits for the landowner.

In signing this conservation easement, landowner Doug Mullen has voluntarily relinquished development rights on 30 acres of prime Mississippi blufftop land within his 185-acre property. However, Mullen still owns the entire property and retains all other owner rights and responsibilities. The property is located three miles south of Lansing on the Great River Road.

The conservation easement will be held by The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF). INHF is a statewide, member-supported non-profit group which builds partnerships and educates Iowans to protect, preserve and enhance Iowa’s natural resources for future generations.

Owning a piece of land means owning a "bundle" of rights which go with it—from housing development to mining to timber harvesting. A conservation easement allows Mullen or other landowners to release or retain any combination of those rights. The easement is binding on the current owner and all future owners.

Using this method, conservation-minded owners can permanently protect their land while maintaining it as private property. According to Darrel Mills, INHF Land Conservation Specialist, "Doug and whoever owns the land in the future will still pay their property taxes, and they’ll still be able to decide who enters their land and who does not. It’s not like Doug is creating a preserve here. He and future owners will continue to use and enjoy this land."

Mullen added, "The terms of an easement are determined by the landowner. It states his wants and needs. These are things I wanted done. The Foundation helped me write it up and will make sure it happens after I’m gone."

Because Mullen has voluntarily restricted his land’s potential uses, its sale value will probably be reduced. Therefore, Mullen and other conservation easement donors are eligible for a significant income tax deduction.

By relinquishing additional rights over future years, Mullen will provide further land protection and be eligible for additional income tax savings. "First, I’m removing the rights to build on the 30 acres most likely to be developed because of their blufftop views of the river," said Mullen. "Over the next several years, I intend to relinquish additional development rights plus the rights to mine here. I also want to permanently eliminate grazing on the woodland acres. I’ll still allow timber harvest if it follows an approved timber management plan."

Mullen, now retired, was district manager for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, working out of the Lansing office in 1972-1977. "I bought the land in 1976 intending to retire here," he said. "I bought it not just because of its beauty, but because the people of northeast Iowa are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. I’ve worked all over the United States and I still believe northeast Iowa is the best kept secret of beauty and natural wonders that I’ve ever seen."

Mullen’s property is rich with natural features. "It’s an entire bluff, with a hogback ridge and a valley on both sides," noted Mills. "It has more than 150 acres of upland woodland, so it has large interior habitat for wildlife. It has both bottomland and upland prairie, so there are many native species of grasses and flowers here. There’s old growth red oak, open-grown white oak with big spreading branches, and hundreds of apple trees that have naturally spread over the land. On top of that, the views of the Mississippi River are spectacular and this natural bluff lends so much beauty to the view from the river, too."

INHF will permanently monitor the land and ensure it remains in compliance with the easement, no matter who owns it in the future. INHF is part of the Blufflands Alliance, a private and public partnership of organizations, individuals and landowners. The Alliance seeks to conserve and enhance the local, natural, cultural, historical and agricultural resources of the blufflands located along the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers.

"Conservation easements are common in many other states," noted Mills, "but they are relatively new to Iowa and we believe this is the first conservation easement donated to a non-profit conservation group in Allamakee County. This is one of three conservation easements the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation completed in the Mississippi blufflands in the past year, and one of eight bluffland easements done since 1982. Wherever we talk about this option, we find people eager to know more about it. It’s a great opportunity for many conservation-minded people, and we hope others will be interested in learning more about Doug’s experience with it."

Mullen agrees that conservation easements need to be more widely understood and used in this area. "I’ve felt for many years that the government can’t own enough land to protect wildlife," said Mullen. "We must keep private landowners involved in protecting these values. The way to do this is with conservation easements."

Mullen has noted many changes in the region since he bought his land. "I’m concerned that development will severely affect the balance of nature and the base of natural resources here. Most landowners I talk with have a real attachment to the land, but many individuals cannot afford to give away any land rights. I think the state should look into purchasing development rights from willing landowners on land with lots of scenic value or wildlife value. They are the best way to permanently protect land in northeast Iowa."

Landowners who would like more information about conservation easements can contact Darrel Mills at 515-749-2268 or the INHF office at 515-288-1846.

For more information about Foundation news, e-mail Cathy Engstrom, Director of Communications or call (515) 288-1846.

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