Public Agencies
Public agencies that acquire land may be required to establish a land protection easement, also known as a conservation easement, as part of grant funding or regulatory requirements. These legal agreements, often made with a land trust like Open Space STL or another qualified entity, are designed to safeguard the conservation values of a property by defining permitted uses — even on publicly owned land.
At Open Space STL, we serve as a catalyst in the land acquisition process, working closely with private landowners and public agencies to secure vital land and water resources for conservation. By acting as an intermediary in land transactions, we help ensure that ecologically significant land remains protected for future generations. A key strategy we employ in this effort is land banking—a process in which we temporarily acquire and hold land until public agencies are ready to assume full ownership and management responsibility.
At Open Space STL, we are committed to the restoration of public lands through strategic partnerships with federal, state, county, and municipal agencies. Our work ensures that vital ecosystems in the St. Louis region are actively managed, protected, and restored for the benefit of both wildlife and people.