Open Space Referendum Guidance and Results

Conservation Almanac

Organizations/Sources: The Trust for Public Land
The Conservation Almanac is a growing repository of information and data about land conservation in America. The data provides a context for assessing the impacts of conservation and the growing number of state and local conservation funding measures. This website provides analysis and maps the results of federal, state, and local funding for land conservation since 1998.
Last Modified
Feb 24, 2016
Viewed
4780 times

Designing Conservation Finance Ballot Measures in New York State

2004
Authors: Matt Zieper and Ernest Cook
Organizations/Sources: The Trust for Public Land
This guide for town government officials provides advice to local governments in designing ballot measures. The Trust for Public Land has condensed their experience into a simple 5-step guide for town officials in New York State. This guide should help you proceed with more confidence and avoid common pitfalls that could compromise the success of conservation finance proposals.
Last Modified
Feb 24, 2016
Viewed
4114 times

LandVote Database

Organizations/Sources: The Trust for Public Land
The LandVote® Database provides the most comprehensive history available for state and local conservation finance measures that have been placed on the ballot.
Last Modified
Oct 14, 2009
Viewed
5929 times

Leaders in the Fields: Seven Successful Municipal Open Space Referendums in the Lehigh Valley

2009
Authors: Michael Frank
Organizations/Sources: Heritage Conservancy
This publication describes seven successful local efforts to establish open space taxes in Northampton County municipalities for the protection of farmland, natural resource areas and open space. It describes what worked, how it worked and lessons learned.
Last Modified
Feb 04, 2021
Viewed
1362 times

Local Municipal Open Space Referendums in Pennsylvania: 2023 Status Report

2024
WeConservePA analyzed and applied geographic information to LandVote data to produce this report. It includes numerous maps and charts describing the 157 open space referendums offered to voters at the local municipal level between 1996 and 2023. 24 pages.
Last Modified
Feb 13, 2024
Viewed
2165 times

Referendum to Authorize a Tax or Bond for Conservation

2017
Authors: Nate Lotze and Andrew M. Loza
Pennsylvanians may vote to establish a tax specifically dedicated to open space protection in their municipality. Voters may also approve borrowing by their county or municipality for conservation projects. (Print version of CT guide)
Last Modified
Nov 14, 2017
Viewed
2708 times

TPL-Assisted Referendum Successes

Organizations/Sources: The Trust for Public Land
These short pieces highlight the difference that careful planning can make it achieving success with open space referendums.
Last Modified
Feb 21, 2024
Viewed
215 times