Who entered into the Conservation Easement agreement?

The Easement was entered into between the landowners, Jon and Amy Messick and the Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust.

When was the Conservation Easement completed?

The original agreement between Jon and Amy Messick and the Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust was finalized on February 2^nd, 2006.

What is a Conservation Easement agreement?

A land protection agreement (conservation easement) is a voluntary legal agreement a landowner makes to restrict the amount and type of future development and potential use.  The original 60-acre parcel was designated as prime agricultural land and was zoned Rural Residential with minimum 5-acre lots that had the potential to be split into twelve 5 acre lots.  Instead, Mr. Messick chose to contact the Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust to permanently protect approximately 30 acres of his property from future development.  The Messick Conservation Easement was created to allow the land to remain in productive agricultural use while also protecting valuable habitat and scenic resources into perpetuity.  The landowner maintains the title to the property but transfers certain property rights, such as the right to subdivide, to a nonprofit conservation organization such as the Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust. 

Where is the Messick Conservation Easement located?

The property is located off Walnut Avenue, 3 miles east of Marysville on Highway 20 in Yuba County.

How many acres are included in the Conservation Easement agreement?

The conservation easement consists of 30.64 net acres, 27.44 acres in Parcel A, and 3.20 acres of adjoining Lot 12 of the Messick Estates. The easement is comprised of approximately 26.5 acres of farmland and 4.0 acres of wildlife habitat which includes a pond.

Why types of conservation values are being protected?

The easement protects 26.5 acres of farmland that is planted with walnuts and 4 acres of pond and seasonal wetland habitat area.  Conservation values include agricultural productivity, wetlands, wildlife, and plant habitat, as well as scenic values.

Why is the protection of agricultural land and habitat important?

There are several important reasons to preserve farmland.  With a rapidly increasing world population and expanding global markets, preserving farmland is a prudent investment in the world food supply and the nation’s economic future.  Farm and ranch lands also provide environmental benefits in the form of flood protection, water quality, air quality, and habitat for wildlife.  For many communities, protecting farmland means protecting a way of life – scenic and cultural landscapes, farmer’s markets, recreational opportunities, local jobs, and community businesses.  Protecting habitat is critical to preserving diverse wildlife populations that rely on habitat areas for survival.  Habitat areas can also offer unique scenic values and recreational opportunities.  The Sutter Buttes Land Trust recognizes the importance of protecting what is left of these valuable resources.  We offer an alternative to developing farmland and habitat areas and believe that offering landowners a choice will give them the opportunity to voluntarily protect some or all of their property from development.