WeConservePA now offers for public review a draft of the second edition of the Model Declaration of Public Trust and the first edition of companion, Model Declaration of Public Trust for Conservation Easements:

Model Declaration of Public Trust

People rely on their parks and other public open spaces as stable places of comfort, rest, and renewal in their lives. They expect that these places will always be there for them. Local governments can take measures to leverage generally supportive law to maximize the protections for the parks and open spaces in their purview. They can use the easily customizable Model Declaration of Public Trust to ensure there is no doubt of the lands’ dedication to park or other open space purposes—now or in the future—and explicitly state any reservations, exceptions, or limitations applicable to the dedication.

Model Declaration of Public Trust for Conservation Easements

How permanent are conservation easements held by local government? In response to this worrisome question, WeConservePA has developed a new tool for municipalities, the Model Declaration of Public Trust for Conservation Easements, to ensure that conservation easements acquired by municipalities are lasting.

WeConservePA now offers these models for public review and comment. Send comments on either of these resources to Director of Conservation Law Justin Hollinger at jhollinger@weconservepa.org no later than June 10, 2024.