Did Andie MacDowell's Mountain Hideaway Require Tax Incentives?

If you sincerely wish to have property that you own forever shielded from development, the donation of a conservation easement is as close as you can come to free lunch . Besides getting another party involved to see that your conservation goal is followed through on and your kids don't turn your beloved wood lot into the site of a Walmart Supercenter, you get an immediate income tax deduction and possibly a break on your property tax, while continuing to own and use the property. You are getting goodies for refraining from doing something you didn't want to do anyway.