Forked Lightning Ranch in New Mexico is a good example of how land can remain protected long after an owner moves on. According to the New Mexico Land Conservancy, actress Jane Fonda purchased the ranch in 2000 and worked to conserve and enhance its natural communities until she sold it in 2015. The group completed a new easement in October 2018 that provides protection for the entire 2,229-acre ranch. Conservation values of the conservancy include agriculture, scenic open space, and wildlife habitat. The Pecos River runs through nearly four miles of the ranch.
What is a conservation easement?
A conservation easement is an agreement between a landowner and a group, such as a land trust, that limits the uses that can be made of the land, such as development, subdivision, or certain construction, while the owner retains ownership of the property. According toa 2007 study in Conservation Biology, easements are one of the primary tools for conserving biodiversity on private land. The researchers noted that the data they had on what easements protect and what they allow is very limited. So they surveyed staff overseeing 119 easements created by The Nature Conservancy between 1985 and 2004, a national sample spanning eight states rather than a study specific to New Mexico or the Pecos River.
A ranch with a long history
The ranch was purchased in 1941 by Texas oilman Buddy Fogelson, who operated a small cattle operation, the conservancy noted. Later, the older part of the ranch was inherited by actress Greer Garson. She gave part of it to the National Park Service, which became Pecos National Historical Park. The original ranch was subdivided and sold several times over the years. Fonda bought the remainder in 2000 and worked to protect and improve the ranch until she sold it in 2015.
{{/usCountry}}The ranch was purchased in 1941 by Texas oilman Buddy Fogelson, who operated a small cattle operation, the conservancy noted. Later, the older part of the ranch was inherited by actress Greer Garson. She gave part of it to the National Park Service, which became Pecos National Historical Park. The original ranch was subdivided and sold several times over the years. Fonda bought the remainder in 2000 and worked to protect and improve the ranch until she sold it in 2015.
{{/usCountry}}How the easement came together
The final easement was completed in three phases. The conservancy notes that the work began in June 2010 when Fonda still owned the ranch and was completed in October 2018. The final step added 403 acres for a total of 2,229 acres. It also combined two existing easements with the new land in one agreement. The conservancy says this reduces the risk of selling off parts of the ranch in the future.
Why the fine print matters
Selling a ranch in pieces may seem minor, but the study suggests it matters. Eighty percent of the easements it reviewed were to protect core habitat on the site, and nearly all were to reduce development. Still, 85% allowed some residential or commercial use, new structures, or subdivision. The authors said easements should include clear restrictions on building and subdivision. They also found a wide variety of private uses across easements, and the rules written into each easement can therefore vary quite a bit.
The findings included working land as well. Easements for ranching, forestry, or farming represented nearly half of the properties sampled, at 46 percent. These easements were more likely to be designated as buffers that increase biodiversity in the surrounding area than other easements. One of the conservation values at Forked Lightning is agriculture. The authors called for greater public understanding of the trade-offs that come with using easements to protect nature.
What this story shows
Forked Lightning shows what one agreement can do for a stretch of river, farmland and wildlife habitat. Fonda sold Forked Lightning in 2015, and the conservancy says its 2,229 acres now fall under one easement. The story shows that details are important, since easements can differ in what they allow and what they prohibit. If you care about a local river, park, or farm, it is worth asking how it is protected and who is responsible for it.