That is actually the relevant question. I understand that selling to the Nature Conservancy creates a situation in which people can continue to use their land as they did before, while ensuring that it won't be developed. But why do we need the Nature Conservancey for that? What are they doing that landowners couldn not do for themselves without a middleman?
Why you dare bring into question their moral superiority? They are a sanctified "Not For Profit" (but for huge salaries & expense accounts) 501(c)3 Corporation! Don't you understand that there are only two sanctified selfless organizations at work in our Democracy, today? Yes! It's true!! One is Multi-Level Government. The other is any Not-For-Profit do gooder organization!!!