Erin B. Gisler (J.D. 2009, Santa Clara) has published Comment, Land Trusts in the Twenty-First Century: How Tax Abuse and Corporate Governance Threaten the Integrity of Charitable Land Preservation, 49 Santa Clara L. Rev. 1123 (2009).  Here is part of the Introduction:

This comment explores the pivotal role of land trusts in the conservation boom and in upholding the integrity of land conservation. Part II provides a background of land trusts and their functions; it also reviews how land conservation and land trusts became popular as a result of statutory changes in federal tax law, and how such popularity has encouraged even more pro-conservation legislation. Part III presents one of the major threats to the conservation movement: tax abuse.  Part IV analyzes this problem from the viewpoint of individual landowners seeking hefty income tax deductions and discusses how land trusts, and The Nature Conservancy in particular, can lose sight of their missions to conserve by engaging in unethical, profit-motivated behavior. Part V's proposal suggests a number of methods all parties involved in land conservation can implement to adhere to ethical and responsible standards.