The General Assembly finds that a statewide network of protected natural areas, riparian buffers, and greenways can best be accomplished through a conservation easements program. The General Assembly further finds that other public conservation and use programs, such as natural area protection, beach access, trail systems, historic landscape protection, and agricultural preservation, can benefit from increased conservation tools. In this Article, the General Assembly therefore intends to extend the ability of the Department of Environmental Quality to achieve these purposes and to strengthen the capability of private nonprofit land trusts to participate in land and water conservation. (1997-226, s. 6; 1997-443, s. 11A.119(b); 2015-241, s. 14.30(u).)