Heirs' property (HP) is considered the "biggest problem most have never heard of'. It is simply property (land) that has been passed down through generations to heirs without a will. It has been the largest cause of Black land loss but is an issue that extends to all communities across America. This project is designed to address inequities that are occurring among underserved farmers, ranchers, forest landowners and operators in being aware, understanding and accessing US Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. In addition, a major barrier to accessing USDA programs and a major cause of land loss among these landowners--heirs' property­-will be addressed.

The Center for Heirs' Property Preservation™ (or CHPP™), established in 2005, CHPP™ employs three key strategies to accomplish its mission of protecting HP and promoting the sustainable use of land to provide increased economic benefit to historically underserved: a) Prevention of land loss through landowner engagement and education; b) Legal resolution of heirs' property title issues; and c) Promoting sustainable land use by technically assisting landowners in restoring the ecological health and productivity of their forest and farmland. CHPP™ implements these strategies in 28 of the state's 46 counties.

These goals will be accomplished through conducting workshops, seminars, informational packets, presentations, landowner symposia and clinics and the provision of education, technical assistance and direct legal services for these landowners. The provision of these services will result in increased knowledge of forestry/agriculture techniques, increased number of HULOs applying for cost-share funds, increased awareness and knowledge of heirs' property resolution, titles resolved, and estate plans drafted. All these efforts are critical to building local economies, enhancing rural business development, and fostering agricultural enterprises that are climate-smart, resilient and can ultimately produce global benefits (emission reduction, food security, poverty reduction).