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The Open Land Trust, created to protect private and publicly owned land through donations and conservation easements, will help identify and negotiate land purchases for the county's preservation program, which acquires land for conservation, parks and scenic vistas.
The county began accepting bids for the service earlier this year, according to county administrator Gary Kubic.
The Open Land Trust will replace Conservation Consulting Co., hired in April 2009 when the national nonprofit Trust for Public Land cut about 15 percent of its staff and ended its contract with the county.
The county paid Conservation Consulting $20,000 a month for personnel, benefits, office spaces, overhead and services, Kubic said.
"It wasn't that we weren't happy with their work; it was a very difficult decision," Kubic said. "We just wanted to see what a competitive bidding process could do, and in this case, the Open Land Trust was a $10,000 price difference per month and a difference of $120,000 per year."
The Open Land Trust and Conservation Consulting were among five bidders for the new contract, approved last month by County Council.
Ann Bluntzer, director of the Open Land Trust, said the nonprofit organization's mission is similar to the program's -- preserving the area's natural heritage. The group's contract begins July 1.
"We're a lean, efficient organization, and we're excited to capitalize that on behalf of the county and its taxpayers," she said.
The Rural and Critical Lands Preservation Program has about $18.5 million on hand and about 40 land deals in the works, including purchases approved by County Council that have yet to close, Bluntzer said.
"We'll continue all the projects that are in the works and pick up where they left off," she said.
