OAR 698-015-0090
Evaluation Criteria

Working Land Covenant and Easement Grant applications will be evaluated on:
(1) The significance of the agricultural, natural resource, and related social values of the working land subject to the working land conservation covenant or easement.
(2) The extent to which the working land conservation covenant or easement would protect, maintain, or enhance farming or ranching on regionally significant working land, including:
(a) Reducing the potential for future conversion or fragmentation of the property and surrounding working land;
(b) Maintaining or enhancing the ability of the land to be in productive agricultural use after the covenant or easement is in place;
(c) The potential viability of the property for agriculture; and
(d) Improving or maintaining the economic viability of the operation, including future transfer of ownership.
(3)The extent to which the covenant or easement would protect, maintain or enhance significant fish or wildlife habitat, water quality or other natural resource values by:
(a) Protecting, maintaining, or improving the land, including soil, water, plants, animals, energy, and human needs considerations;
(b) Supporting implementation of the Oregon Conservation Strategy, Oregon’s Agricultural Water Quality Management Program, or other local, regional, state, federal or tribal priorities or plans that support fish or wildlife habitat, water quality or other natural resource values;
(c) Protecting, maintaining, or improving the quality and connectivity of wildlife habitat on and around the working land;
(d) Protecting, maintaining, or improving water quality and/or quantity; and
(e) Implementing a management plan that is likely to sustain ecological values, as evidenced by a management plan, easement or covenant terms, or inherent site condition.
(4) The extent to which the covenant or easement would protect, maintain or enhance significant agricultural outcomes, benefits or other agricultural or conservation values important to the region, including:
(a) The parcel’s contribution to long-term conservation of the region’s agricultural land base; and

(b)

The regional significance of the agricultural operation, or its suitability based on soils, slope, location or other relevant factors, and its associated infrastructure.
(5) The capacity and competence of the applicant and the proposed easement or covenant holder to purchase, accept, implement, hold, monitor, steward, and enforce a working land conservation covenant or easement, including:
(a) Accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, or implementation of standards and practices that are similar to an organization that is eligible for accreditation;
(b) Inclusion of working land preservation in the organization’s mission, vision or other organizational documents;
(c) The financial capability of the organization to steward conservation covenants and easements over time;
(d) Demonstrated relevant commitment, ability, expertise, and track record to purchase, accept, implement, hold, monitor, steward, and enforce conservation covenants and easements or other relevant projects; and
(e) The strength of the organization as measured by effective governance.
(6) The extent to which the benefit to the state from the investment may be maximized, based on:
(a) The ability to leverage grant moneys with other funding sources;
(b) The duration and extent of the agreement, with a preference for longer term agreements;
(c) The cumulative effect of similar conservation or agricultural investments in the community, including other OAHP funded plans, covenants, or easements;
(d) Consistency with local comprehensive plans and statewide planning goals;
(e) The potential for setting an example that will encourage additional working lands projects in the region; and
(f) The existence and implementation of a conservation management plan.
(7) The impacts of the covenant or easement or the associated conservation management plan on owners or operators of neighboring lands, and the extent to which there is a plan of engagement with neighboring landowners about how to mitigate any impacts resulting from the covenant or easement, if necessary.
(8) The level of threat of conversion or fragmentation of the working land.
(9) The soundness of the legal and financial terms of the proposed real estate transaction.

Source: Rule 698-015-0090 — Evaluation Criteria, https://secure.­sos.­state.­or.­us/oard/view.­action?ruleNumber=698-015-0090.

Last Updated

Jun. 8, 2021

Rule 698-015-0090’s source at or​.us