A member of the Rolling Stones recently donated almost 300 acres of his hunting preserve to the state of Georgia as a conservation easement. Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell is a conservationist and is among the first residents of Georgia to avail of a new land conservation tax credit. He expressed hope others will follow his act to protect the open spaces in Georgia.
Last April 2006, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue signed a law giving tax income credits for private landowners and corporations who have preserved undeveloped property. Landowners whose property is covered by conservation easement give up their right to develop the land. There are only six applications at present but state officials expect more resident to apply after the rules were finalized in December last year.
Leavell’s middle Georgia hunting preserve called Charlane Plantation will initially be under the supervision of The Conservation Fund. It will be transferred later to the Georgia Forestry Commission. Leavell was appointed to the Georgia Land Conservation Commission in 2001.
Georgia is among the 12 states with a tax credit program that encourages the donation of conservation easements or land. The federal government provides a separate tax credit for this program.