What kind of easement is specifically for the purpose of environmental protection?

A conservation easement is designed specifically to protect the natural, scenic, or open-space values of a property and to restrict development to ensure the preservation of the environment. This type of easement allows landowners to place restrictions on the use of their land in order to protect various ecological features like wildlife habitats, water quality, and cultural resources.

By providing a legal mechanism for landowners to preserve these values, conservation easements are critical in promoting environmental sustainability. They can be tailored to fit the specific conservation goals of the property owner and usually involve collaboration with land trusts or conservation organizations. This makes them an active tool for environmental protection, allowing for the ongoing stewardship of the land without transferring ownership.

In contrast, other options like negative easements are focused on restricting how a neighboring property owner can use their land rather than directly promoting environmental protection. Abandonment refers to the relinquishing of an easement, while adverse possession is a legal principle allowing a person to claim ownership of land under certain conditions. None of these options directly address environmental protection in the way that a conservation easement does.