I. Project Selection Criteria
The Lake Champlain Land Trust preserves lands within the Lake Champlain Basin. In order to be considered for conservation, the proposed property must meet a significant number of the following criteria:

A. Lake Proximity
The property contains an island in Lake Champlain, a shoreline of the lake or a river or stream mouth that flows into the lake. Opportunities to protect islands should be given special consideration.

B. Ecological Value

1. The property provides a significant buffer that will serve to:

a. Protect water quality and wildlife habitat.
b. Maintain natural processes that protect lake quality.
c. Protect existing lakefront habitat from fragmentation and isolation.
d. Provide a corridor for wildlife movement.

2. The property contains a significant wetland.

a. The wetland is indicated on the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s, National Wetland Inventory Map as a natural wetland.

b. The wetland is important wildlife habitat and/or is a known wildlife migration route particularly for waterfowl as recognized by the District Wildlife Biologist and/or is recognized by the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife to be of medium of high priority for protection.

c. The wetland has functions and values that are not officially inventoried or mapped. (The Wetlands Office of the Department of Environmental Conservation can usually provide case by case information.)

3. The property’s protection would serve to protect rare, endangered or sensitive plant and animal species and/or natural community.

a. The property contains a plant or animal species that has the status of “threatened” or “endangered” as per the Vermont Endangered Species Law. (10 V.S.A. Chapter 123).

b. The property contains a species or natural community type that has an “S1”, “S2”, or “S3” rank as identified by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Nongame and Natural Heritage Program. An initial list of high priority sites has been prepared through the NNHP that indicates species/natural community rank and status. For information on sites other than those listed, a map and requisite letter can be sent to Everett Marshall, Research Coordinator, at the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

C. Recreation Value

1. The property will provide appropriate public access that would not undermine ecological or other conservation values of the property.

a. Public access is needed but not available.
b. Public access to the lake is limited in the region.
c. The property is accessible by road, existing or proposed trails, public lands or public easements.

2. The property contains existing opportunities and/or features that have recreational value such as hiking trails, historically significant sites, natural features or water frontage suitable for swimming, fishing or boating.

3. The property would serve to protect the availability and quality of recreational opportunities on adjacent lands.

D. Scenic Value

1. The property provides a significant scenic resource from land.

a. Property is visibly prominent and provides a view from a roadway, trail or adjacent property.
b. Property is situated in such a way that its development would obstruct or diminish scenic views, especially views of Lake Champlain.
c. Property is situated in such a way that its development would interrupt views across already protected land.
d. Property provides views of natural features of the lake.

2. The property provides a significant scenic resource from across or within the lake or from the shoreline.

3. The property has a scenic value that would be beneficial for the overall marketability and economic development of tourism around Lake Champlain.

E. Development pressure

1. Project preserves land that is threatened by imminent inappropriate development.

2. Land has been previously recognized by town, and/or a regional plan or by a town conservation commission to have an important conservation value and/or to be under development pressure that would undermine that value.

3. Project preserves land that is vulnerable to development that would not preserve its community value.

a. Project benefits many members of the community and region. (recreationally, aesthetically, ecologically, etc.).
b. Project maintains community’s connection and access (if appropriate) to Lake Champlain that would otherwise be disturbed by its development.

4. Land is adjacent to property that is already protected and would further reduce the possibility of inappropriate development.

5. Project land is developable and is adjacent to land that is being developed or is under development pressure.

F. Special Features

1. Unique or significant geological or landscape features exist.

2. Historically/culturally significant features exist.

II. Feasibility Issues: Lake Champlain Land Trust may refuse a project if:

A. Project would threaten the credibility of Lake Champlain Land Trust.

1. Project is in opposition to Lake Champlain Land Trusts mission or to the criteria set forth in Sect. I.

2. Project sets an inappropriate precedent with other land owners, agencies or communities.

3. Project has ethical or public image problems.

B. The donor’s motivation is not land conservation and adequate stewardship provisions and/or funds would not be available. The Land Trust is fortunate to receive generous donations of land and of conservation easements. In such cases the Land Trust must ensure that motivation for the donation is to support our conservation mission. This is essential to our status as a non-profit conservation organization. The donation may not be accepted if it is determined that the gift is motivated solely by a need for a charitable deduction or other financial or legal benefits to the donor and adequate stewardship provisions and/or funds would not be available. The Land Trust has experienced some stewardship challenges in cases where the donor’s motivation was not completely focused on land conservation.

C. Project management, monitoring, and stewardship requirements can not be met.

1. The cost of management and monitoring is too expensive for Lake Champlain Land Trust to take on the project.

2. The land will not generate revenue or is not endowed to pay for stewardship of the property.

3. The property is contaminated by waste, contains hazards, or has liability problems that are irreparable or too expensive to undertake.

4. Management will be difficult due to the size of the property its fragmentation, inaccessibility, vandalism, or other circumstances.

5. The terms of conservation restrictions on the property will be difficult or impossible to enforce.

D. Conservation proposal is inappropriate.

1. Title limitations exist that are in opposition to the primary conservation values of the project or would limit the ability of the conservation easement to be enforced.

2. Landowner or donor insists on provisions or reserved rights that are potentially in opposition to the primary conservation values of the project and/or Lake Champlain Land Trust’s mission.

3. The conservation restriction will not last in perpetuity.

4. The conservation easement protects some resources while permitting the destruction of other significant resources.

5. The cost of the conservation effort is too expensive in relation to the conservation value of the property.

E. Other problems exist.

1. Land is in litigation or an estate dispute, boundary dispute or other legal problems exist that would increase costs and complications of the project beyond the scope of Lake Champlain Land Trust.

2. Project size or cost is beyond the reasonable financial and human resource capabilities of Lake Champlain Land Trust.

3. Lake Champlain Land Trust’s board, legal counsel or staff recognize a problem not mentioned herein.