Preservation easements are a tool often used to insure the preservation of the character defining features of a property for the public’s benefit. The extent of theprotection of the property is dependent on the strength of the easement. Some easements protect just the façade of a building. Other easements protect the larger preservation values including but not limited to the exterior and interior architectural features, materials, landscape features, outbuildings, fences, and archeological resources of a property.

The New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources protects avariety of properties through preservation easements. Our term easements (easements that expire after a predefined period of time) and perpetual easements (easements that never expire) have come to us through state and federallandtransfers, mitigation through the review and compliance program, and substantial federal grants for building projects like the Save America’s Treasures program.