Welcome to GPCTrust.net

The Trust's mission is to preserve open space in the Town of Garrett Park and to promote conservation values throughout the community and elsewhere.

Rising property values, the scarcity of vacant lots and a growing preference for interior space has led to the loss of some of the modest houses in our town and their replacement with larger ones that typically cover far more of the lot. This generally results in the loss of mature trees and plantings on the lot as well.

The Garrett Park Conservation Trust subscribes to the premise that change in a community can be influenced by the actions of its residents. When it comes to the appearance of our town, Garrett Park has a long tradition of maintaining community values, including the preservation of trees, open space and an appropriate mix of housing types and sizes.

One approach to preserving open space is through promotion of conservation easements, usually held by a land trust or governmental entity. This approach has been widely used to preserve forest and agricultural land and is beginning to spread to urban settings. Land trusts provide a mechanism whereby individuals, who want to voluntarily limit future development on their property can do so by giving an easement in which the limits are spelled out in perpetuity.

The Garrett Park Conservation Trust was established in 2002 for the purpose of accepting, monitoring and enforcing such easements. We are also committed to educating people about the value of conserving, not just open space but all natural resources.