Three more conservation easements (CEs) using purchases of development rights (PDRs) through the Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB) Program closed in 2007. The CEs protect nearly 1200 acres in Bryan, Evans and Liberty (GA) counties, including high quality working lands, important habitat identified by the GA Department of Natural Resources’ Comprehensive Wildlife Strategy, and tributaries within the Ogeechee Watershed. The Liberty and Bryan county parcels buffered more than two miles of Ft. Stewart’s boundary.

ACUB’s success is the result of a partnership among Georgia Land Trust, the Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Army. Recent efforts, including an ongoing PDR on a parcel owned by Georgia Land Trust, involved the Liberty and Evans County governments, the Georgia Land Conservation Program and Open Space Institute.

Georgia Land Trust is working on an ACUB partnership involving the Chattahoochee Valley Land Trust, the Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Army in the Fort Benning area near Columbus. The post added several units in the most recent round of Base Realignment and Closures process which should further ramp up strong development pressure in the area.

ACUB obtains development rights through donation or purchase of conservation easements on properties near defense installations, minimizing housing development on installation perimeters. This creates a sound and density minimizing cordon to protect training and deployment capabilities.

The program also assists land management and the restoration and improvement of habitat near military installations. As with all CEs or PDRs, landowners reserve rights to use their lands in ways they specify as part of the deed extinguishing certain rights. Limited homesites, timbering, agriculture, and hunting are acceptable uses for lands near military installations.

If you own land near Ft. Stewart (or Hunter Army Air Field) or Ft. Benning and would like to help preserve military readiness, protect valuable conservation values while continuing low-density use of your land, please contact

Mark Pentecost,
Alabama Land Trust, Inc.
Piedmont Office, (256) 447-1006, pentecostm@allandtrust.org .

Frank McIntosh,
Georgia Land Trust, Inc.
Savannah Office, (912) 231-0507, fmcintosh@galandtrust.org  or