Learn My Family Members' Needs With the "Heirloom Scale"

Having a family conversation about the future of your land can be difficult and emotional, but it will help everyone be on the same page about what you desire.

There's no substitute for in-person gatherings on the family land. Getting your family outside and walking together lets each person reflect on what your land means to them.

In a perfect world, what would you want to see happen with your land when you're no longer around to take care of it? Write these wishes down, then share them with a spouse or the rest of your family.

Conservation easements stay with the property even after you no longer own it, so involve your family, especially potential heirs, in your choice of whether or not to ease your land.