The Association for Conservation Real Estate (Conserv)™ is a non-profit corporation committed to conserving our planet’s biodiversity though a fundamentally new approach to conservation—creation of an ecologically-friendly real estate marketplace. This is accomplished through education of sellers, buyers, and brokers, and through the creation of new real estate friendly conservation mapping leading to stewardship of environmental assets via real property sales transactions.Conserv™ aims to alter the international real estate marketplace leading to conservation-friendly transactions, in cooperation with non-profit and governmental entities, adding a new practice to those already used by land trusts and conservation organizations worldwide. The Association is a non-profit U.S. corporation (tax exempt 501-c-6 status pending) and owns the American and International Conservation Broker Certification programs and three related marketplaces. The Association’s Staff is advised by a volunteer Board of Directors.

Background

Conserv™ has evolved out of the realization that government and non-profit organizations must identify new conservation strategies to more fully protect our planet’s biological diversity. A new type of conservation is needed in the 21st century that is fully integrated within the workings of day to day real estate practice. To do this, the fundamental practice of real estate must be altered to be ecologically-friendly. The thinking behind Conserv™ is based on the writings of Dr. Herman Daly (For the Common Good and Beyond Growth), on Sustainable Development research conducted by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission in Charlottesville, Virginia in the 1990s, on sustainable development educational programs conducted by the Environmental Education Center, a former 501-c-3 non-profit educational center also in Charlottesville, and prototype conservation real estate sales experiences of Conserv™ Staff and Board REALTORS in 2004-2007.

Real Estate

Conserv™ has created a conservation real estate sales process that fosters stewardship of a property’s environmental assets. This occurs through a conservation real estate on-line property listing service. The listing service contains different levels of markets with varying levels of environmental asset quality control to match the diverse interests in stewardship that buyers and sellers may have. The marketplace will integrate conservation mapping technologies with property listings to provide the general public and real estate professionals with the knowledge they need to buy and sell properties with environmental scarcities. This listing service not only provides a service to the public but to non-profit conservation organizations as well.

Broker Education

Conserv™ has created the American and International Conservation Broker training programs. These certifications provide instruction to brokers and agents about the ethical, scientific, and procedural dimensions of conservation real estate transactions. Certification is required for listing of property at certain levels of the real estate marketplace.

General Public Education

Conserv™ has created conservation real estate discussion forums that provide education to buyers, sellers, land trusts, conservation organizations, and governmental agencies about market-based conservation. These forums explain the principles of private property marketplace conservation, the techniques to use the listing function, and the success stories of buyers, sellers, and brokers that have used Conserv to protect our natural heritage. The public may also join Conserv™ and as a member have access to downloadable education and marketing resources unavailable to the general public.