All potential land protection projects are reviewed by Ausbon Sargent's Lands Committee and then voted approval by the Board of Trustees according to a list of specific criteria. The more favorable criteria met and the fewer unfavorable criteria met, the more likely the Board is to approve a project.

Favorable criteria:

The property:

• Is visible and benefits the public
• Is or has the potential to be productive agricultural or forest land
• Protects a scenic view
• Protects a lake, stream, wetlands or watershed
• Is likely to be developed in the future in a way that does not preserve the rural character of the area
• Contains significant wildlife habitat
• Has been identified in your town's Master Plan as a priority for preservation
• Provides public use and/or has widespread community support
• Is close to land that is already under protection and/or may encourage abutters to protect their properties
• Can pay for itself or lend itself to special fundraising

Unfavorable criteria

The project:

• Primarily benefits a single landowner or developer and is being done only for tax benefits or personal privacy
• Is not especially productive
• Would be expensive and use up significant financial or goodwill assets of Ausbon Sargent
• Would present a stewardship or monitoring problem
• Is found to be irreparably contaminated
• Landowner is unable to obtain a mortgage subordination or insists on retaining unacceptable rights to the land