Riverside Conservancy urges conservation easements to protect Turnbull Creek shoreline

Kelly McGee, executive director of Riverside Conservancy, told the Turnbull Creek Preservation Committee that conservation easements are private-property agreements that can preserve shoreline habitat without creating public-access rights. "Conservation easements...the property owner often will donate an easement, and it's not public access," McGee said, explaining donors can keep ownership while limiting development on sensitive shorelines.

McGee described the group's shoreline-restoration work — oyster reefs, mangrove plantings and shellfish restoration — and said layered easements, where more than one nonprofit holds interests, have been used locally to strengthen permanence. She cited examples in Volusia County and said the conservancy can pursue state, federal and foundation grants and partner with universities to support long-term management and research. The committee asked whether Riverside purchases easements; McGee said most in their experience have been donations but purchasing is possible.

Committee members said easements could complement city acquisitions and improve the prospects for contiguous corridors of conserved land. Tony, the committee's acquisitions lead, said the city could recommend the approach to the city commission and explore layered easements as another tool to keep lands in conservation in perpetuity.