Tangible Protections:

Introducing the CSCLS Wetland Protection Cash Incentive (WPCI)

In an effort to protect wetlands in the Lake Superior watershed, Citizens for a Safe & Clean Lake Superior is offering four (4) $750 cash incentives to Marquette County landowners willing to enter into a Conservation Easement (CE) with a local land conservancy to protect wetlands on their property.

What is a Conservation Easement?

*Disclaimer: Citizens for a Safe & Clean Lake Superior cannot provide legal advice. Any information on this site should be construed as informational and general.

According to Superior Watershed Partnership and Land Conservancy, a conservation easement is a voluntary, legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust or government agency that permanently limits uses of the land in order to protect its conservation values. It allows you to continue to own and use your land and to sell it or pass it on to heirs.

Conservation easements offer great flexibility. An easement on property containing rare wildlife habitat might prohibit any development, for example, while one on a farm might allow continued farming and the building of additional agricultural structures. An easement may apply to just a portion of the property, and need not require public access.

If the donation benefits the public by permanently protecting important conservation resources and meets other federal tax code requirements it can qualify as a tax-deductible charitable donation. The amount of the donation is the difference between the land's value with the easement and its value without the easement. Placing an easement on your property may or may not result in property tax savings.

Perhaps most important, a conservation easement can be essential for passing land on to the next generation. By removing the land's development potential, the easement lowers its market value, which in turn lowers estate tax. Whether the easement is donated duri

How does the Program Work?

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning March 1, 2025 until funding runs out.

To apply:

Eligible landowners should fill out an interest form.
- To be eligible for the incentive:
  - Property must be wholly located in Marquette County; and
  - Property must contain wetlands of any size. (Not sure if you have wetlands? Click here and scroll about halfway down the page to see the different types of wetlands present in Marquette County.)
CSCLS will reach out to applicants to schedule an initial call to discuss the property and the program.
If CSCLS determines the property to be a good fit for the program, we will refer the applicant to staff at Superior Watershed Partnership and Land Conservancy, who will conduct a site visit, walk the applicant through the Conservation Easement process, and eventually draft an easement agreement.
Upon confirmation that a Conservation Easement has been entered into with SWP, CSCLS will award:
- A check in the amount of $250, payable to SWP, to cover the costs associated with the Conservation Easement process; and
- A check in the amount of $500, payable to the landowner, to offset any costs associated with the Conservation Easement process, or if none, then simply pocketed by the landowner.

Interest Form

Are all wetlands considered equally?

Priority will be given to properties that:

Are composed of a majority of wetlands, vs other types of ecosystems; and
Display either high functionality in their ability to carry out ecosystem services, and/or are located in an area of critical wetland loss.

Properties not meeting these preferred criteria will be considered, so long as there are wetlands present on the property. There is no size limitation for a wetland to qualify.

CSCLS reserves the right to deny incentive funds to any applicant, for any reason.