If you decide that you will likely submit an application, you should begin to prepare now by gathering information that will be pertinent to your application. Use the application below as a guide for information to gather. Begin collecting information about the forest, streams and wildlife that occur on the property. It will also be helpful to investigate development patterns of the county and township in which the property is located; find out if there are land-use plans or zoning ordinances that affect your property – these will be helpful in assessing the risk of development on the property. Find out if your property is located in an area that has a watershed plan or other natural resource related plan that may affect your property or to which the protection of your property would contribute (the County Soil and Water Conservation District may be helpful for this information). If you are not enrolled in one of the property tax reduction programs for forested properties (Ohio Forest Tax Law or Current Agricultural Use Value – CAUV), begin the application process for one of those programs. It will also be helpful to get a feel for the market value of your property and if any sales of easements have taken place in the region around your property – this may give you a rough idea of what your easement might be worth. (Note: an easement’s actual value can only be determined through an appraisal process). It may also be helpful to talk to a land trust working in your area (for a list of these organizations visit the Land Trust Alliance web site). Begin discussions with family members about the program and the ramifications of an application to the program.