WPC and the Lorenzis forge a “win-win” transaction
for land conservation

Lisa and Jim Lorenzi felt a strong connection to the woodland they owned in Brentwood Borough and wanted to protect its natural values. They also share a commitment to help WPC pursue its mission of land conservation throughout western Pennsylvania. They accomplished both by donating their land to WPC, which will seek a conservation buyer for the property and use the sale proceeds to fund other conservation projects.
“We recognize the value of preserving this area, while helping to fund WPC’s activities and mission,” Jim Lorenzi said.

Most of the land WPC has protected over the years has been acquired through outright purchase. These lands have been transferred to public agencies for conservation management or, in some cases, such as Bear Run Nature Reserve, retained and protected by WPC itself. For these acquisitions, as well as most donations, WPC seeks to protect lands that hold ecologically significant habitats or preserve exceptional scenic values and outdoor recreation.

Some lands, however, while representing important open space in communities, do not qualify as unique natural areas or recreational resources. WPC accepts donation of these parcels, such as the Lorenzis’ land, with the mutual understanding that the land may be sold by WPC, generally with conservation protection stipulations. In these transactions, donor landowners achieve their conservation and tax objectives, the conservation buyer protects its identified values through the use of a conservation easement, and WPC uses the proceeds from the sale to further its mission on many conservation fronts.

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy is extremely grateful to landowners like the Lorenzis who make these types of enduring gifts. As the economic, social and political landscape of land protection grows more complex in the future, gifts like theirs will be ever more important to WPC’s mission of protecting the places we all care about and connecting people to the natural world.
If you would like to learn more about the donation described above, or have an interest in donating a parcel of land to WPC, visit our Conservation Buyer Program website at www.paconserve.org/rc/cbp.html.

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