The Martha's Vineyard Land Bank is a conservation entity charged with the task of acquiring, holding and managing a diversity of important open space resources for the use and enjoyment of the general public. To accomplish this task the Martha's Vineyard Land Bank imposes a 2% real estate transfer fee which is levied against the purchase price on most real estate transfers on Martha's Vineyard Island.

Yes, it's true --- you will have to shell out 2% of the total purchase price of your new property on Martha's Vineyard in the form of a fee, due in full at the time of closing. This is not a tax and there is no way around it.

Only first time homebuyers are eligible for a nominal credit. Prior to September 1, 2004, the “m” exemption for first time homebuyers was $100,000, but today first time homebuyers may claim a $300,000 "m" exemption. In order to qualify as a first time homebuyer, all parties on the deed may not have ever owned real property at any time, not just on Martha’s Vineyard but anywhere. For further explanation see Enabling Legislation Section 12m .

It could be worse; you could buy a property on Nantucket and pay 4% of the purchase price. It could even be worse than that if Joni Mitchell's words came true and "they paved paradise and put up a parking lot". This is precisely why the Land Bank came into existence in 1986 during the notorious unbridled building boom --- to preserve as much of the pastoral and seaside beauty of Martha's Vineyard for public use as possible.

Other wonderful conservation entities committed to acquiring and preserving the natural resources on this Island are: The Nature Conservancy (TNC), The Vineyard Open Land Foundation (VOLF), Sheriff's Meadow Foundation, Trustees of Reservations, etc.). However, the Land Bank is the agency that you will first encounter, so let's find out something about them.

Why do we need a Land Bank on Martha's Vineyard Island?

Martha's Vineyard has witnessed unprecedented change in the most recent decades. Farming declined; centuries-old pastures and fields were left to knot into vines and shrubs. The "freedom to roam" was curtailed as fences were erected across trails, beaches were gated off and hunting was restricted.

Few of these problems could be solved by planning boards and conservation commissions only; the Vineyard needed a new type of land agency. In the midst of an upward spiraling building boom, island voters created the land bank in 1986 and charged it with reversing their losses.

More than 20 years have elapsed, and more than 2700 acres have now been conserved. Although this sounds impressive, it is actually small; just 4% of the land area on the island. The commission's revenue-generated by a 2% public surcharge on most real estate transfers occurring in the six towns-is modest compared to need, ensuring that islanders can expect the Land Bank to protect only a fraction of their community.

And this money must go far. Farmers, hikers, beach-combers, birders, hunters, and many others are all constituents of the Land Bank, and all deserve to have some land set aside for their special needs.

Fortunately, the Land Bank's private-sector counterparts help out. Private trusts on the island such as the Sheriff's Meadow Foundation and the Nature Conservancy specialize in creating wildlife sanctuaries of their lands. Their extraordinary work across the Vineyard frees the Land Bank to pursue a more diverse mission, where some Land Bank properties are reserved for wildlife and others are used for agriculture, hunting, and other types of conservation uses.

Balance is key in Land Bank property management. Environmental protection leads the list of Land Bank goals, with public access encouraged where and when possible. Trails avoid sensitive areas, signs advise of special precautions visitors need take, and attendants are hired when necessary to oversee use.

The Land Bank is a rare breed. Neither a sanctuary program nor a park system, it is a middle ground where the highest virtues of conservation can be realized: public enjoyment of nature, where limits and restraint secure the natural world's future and prosperity.

Visiting Martha's Vineyard Land Bank Properties

Land bank properties are, except during the hunting season, open daily to the general public from sunrise to sundown. Trails are marked throughout and boundary markers indicate where public land ends and private land begins.

The land bank posts map signs at many properties' trailheads and is installing others where needed. Hand-held maps of each property showing their trail networks and natural features are available at the land bank office and at some trailheads.

The land bank has begun to make a number of its properties more accessible to people who use wheelchairs and to people who have difficulty walking or other disabilities. Pecoy Point Preserve (off Pulpit Rock Road in Oak Bluffs) and Great Rock Bight Preserve (off North Road in Chilmark) feature boardwalks, hardened trails, and parking spaces designed to accommodate those with mobility impairments. Great Rock Bight Preserve also offers an accessible toilet. Chappy Point Beach in Edgartown features an accessible trailhead and boardwalk with views of Edgartown harbor. The slopes and surfaces of these trails may still pose difficulty to some disabled visitors; some disabled visitors may require assistance. Universal access improvements are underway or planned for a number of other properties, including Farm Pond Preserve, Featherstone Farm, Chappy Five Corners Preserve, and Duarte's Pond. You can either call the land bank office for a copy of a map which shows each property and provides directions, or follow this link to view a Map To All Land Bank Properties .

Guided walks conducted by the land bank's scientific and management staff are scheduled regularly. The land bank also sponsors a day-long cross-island hike on National Trails Day, which is the first Saturday in June. Watch the island newspapers for details.

"Why do we need a Land Bank on Martha's Vineyard Island?" and "Visiting Martha's Vineyard Land Bank Properties" provided by the Martha's Vineyard Land Bank www.mvlandbank.com.