The conservancy also acquires rights to land through time-leasing, receives land through donations and acquisition of foreclosures, and as mitigation for development projects.
Private-public partnerships have taken significant control of public parks and playgrounds through conservancy groups set up to manage what is considered unmanageable by public agencies.
Although the water closet was used in wealthy homes, concerns over river pollution, costs and available water supplies meant that most towns and cities chose more labour-intensive dry conservancy systems.