learn . inspire . act FALL.2015 www.landtrustalliance.org VOL.34 NO.4
SAVING THE Sacred
Partnering on Ballot Measures Kingsbury Browne Fellows FALL.2015 www.landtrustalliance.org VOL.34 NO.4
ANIA RZEPKO PHOTOGRAPHY, SYCUAN BAND OF THE KUMEYAAY NATION
14 COVER STORY The Source of All That Sustains Us By Elisabeth Ptak
As the land trust community reaches out to collaborate with Native Americans, tribal groups are also creating their own land trusts to protect traditional lifeways on ancestral lands.
ON THE COVER: The Amah Mutsun Land Trust in California holds gatherings for young tribal members like Tribal Ethnobotonist Sara Reid French to practice traditional ways of tending and gathering food, medicine and basketry plants. HARRY WHO PHOTOGRAPHY
2 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org learn . inspire . act table of CONTENTS
DEPARTMENTS LAND WE LOVE 20 Protecting What Matters 5 From the President By Anna-Lisa Laca A Fundamental Human Right California Rangeland Trust has protected 55 ranches including the 6 Conservation News Koopmann Ranch, a working cattle Recognizing the role of nature play, ranch that provides important pond saving the sage grouse, offering habitat for a rare salamander. bilingual children’s programs and more news of note 10 Policy Roundup Saving the Land and Water Conservation Fund
FEATURE 22 12 Voiced Advocating for The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band in Conservation Funding northern California seeks to heal By Sara Mason Ader past trauma with help from the land A partnership among the Land Trust Alliance, The Trust for Public Land 28 Board Matters and local land trusts has achieved Eastern Shore Land Conservancy great success getting local ballot partners with its community on measures passed. climate change preparation
BUZZARDS BAY COALITION BAY BUZZARDS 31 Accreditation Corner What is the number one benefit of accreditation?
FEATURE 26 32 Fundraising Wisdom And the Winner Is… Endowments: the gifts that keep By Christina Soto on giving Recipients of the prestigious Kingsbury Browne Conservation Leadership Award 34 Resources & Tools and Fellowship share their project The Conservation in a Changing findings with the land trust community. Climate website debuts 36 People & Places A new global group, a peer learning MIKE CURTIS MIKE program and a land trust’s field trips connect people to the land; Ear to the Ground
OUR MISSION To save the places people love 38 Inspired by strengthening land conservation Understanding Your Audience across America.
THE LAND TRUST ALLIANCE REPRESENTS MORE THAN 1,700 LAND TRUSTS AND PROMOTES VOLUNTARY LAND CONSERVATION TO BENEFIT COMMUNITIES THROUGH CLEAN AIR AND WATER, FRESH LOCAL FOOD, NATURAL HABITATS AND PLACES TO REFRESH OUR MINDS AND BODIES.
www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 3 LEADERSHIP SAVING is how land trusts grow. LAND TRUST ALLIANCE
The Alliance’s Land Trust Leadership Program recruits BOARD Bryan David Laura A. Johnson Laura Eklov leaders from land trusts that are poised for growth— CHAIR Donyé Ellis Jameson S. French Bethany Erb and empowers them to make it happen. Coached by VICE CHAIR Suzanne Erera Frederic C. Rich Hannah Flake VICE CHAIR top experts, participants explore mission and strategy, Artis Freye William Mulligan Jennifer Fusco leadership skills, financial management and fundraising. SECRETARY/TREASURER Daniel Greeley
Then they put their ideas into action. Lise H. Aangeenbrug Joanne Hamilton Laurie Andrews Meme Hanley Robert A. Ayres Heidi Hannapel Alan M. Bell Erin Heskett Maria Elena Katrina Howey Campisteguy T.J. Keiter Franz Colloredo- Mansfeld Renee Kivikko Lauren B. Dachs Justin Lindenberg Michael P. Dowling Joshua Lynsen IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Mary Ellen McGillan Blair C. Fitzsimons Sarah McGraw Elizabeth M. Hagood Andy McLeod Peter O. Hausmann Shannon Meyer Sherry F. Huber Wendy Ninteman Cary F. Leptuck MaryKay O’Donnell Fernando Lloveras Brad Paymar San Miguel Loveleen “Dee” Stephen H. Lockhart Perkins Mary McFadden Leslie Ratley-Beach George S. Olsen Sean Robertson Steven E. Rosenberg Collette Roy Judith Stockdale Kimberly Seese Darrell Wood “The Land Trust Alliance’s investments Russell Shay Claire Singer in organizational development have STAFF Lisa Sohn Rand Wentworth Christina Soto transformed our land trust from a startup PRESIDENT Scott Still Mary Pope Hutson to a well-organized, professional, maturing EXECUTIVE VICE Patty Tipson organization guided by clear strategic PRESIDENT Alice Turrentine Marilyn Ayres Mindy Milby Tuttle CHIEF OPERATING & Jennifer Upton objectives and a plan to achieve them.” FINANCIAL OFFICER Carolyn Waldron
–Gavin Ricklefs, Bitter Root Land Trust *(MT) Rob Aldrich Elizabeth Ward Nancy Baker Rebecca Washburn Lorraine Barrett Catherine Waterston Sylvia Bates Andy Weaver Sydney Bennett Todd West Lindsay Blair Ethan Winter Kevin Brice Mary Burke SAVING LAND Kevin Case Elizabeth Ward Peshie Chaifetz EXECUTIVE EDITOR Katie Chang Christina Soto LARGE PHOTO: © KEITH FIALCOWITZ, (*ACCREDITED LAND TRUST) Linette Curley EDITOR
The Leadership Program is just one way we’re
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© 2015 BY THE LAND TRUST ALLIANCE
This publication is designed to provide accurate, authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is distributed Support the Land Trust Alliance today. with the understanding that the publisher, authors and editors are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the For more information go to donate.lta.org services of a competent professional should be sought.
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Fall 2013 Vol. 32 No. 4
SAVING LAND EDITORIAL BOARD A Fundamental David Allen Melanie Allen Sylvia Bates Human Right Story Clark Jane A. Difley Kristopher Krouse James N. Levitt Connie A. Manes David A. Marrone ue Mapp has a big smile and the boundless Larry Orman enthusiasm of a camp counselor. She was Andy Pitz Marc Smiley raised by foster parents in Oakland, and Sara Wilson grew up fishing and hunting at the family NATIONAL COUNCIL ranch north of the city. Peter O. Hausmann CHAIR Throughout her successful stint at Morgan Stanley and after Mark C. Ackelson graduating from Berkeley, Rue still enjoyed getting out in nature on David H. Anderson R Sue Anschutz-Rodgers weekends. She was perplexed why she was the only African American Matthew A. Baxter on these camping trips and was determined to overcome the stereo- Tony Brooks Christopher E. Buck type that “black people don’t do nature.” So she created a blog and an Joyce Coleman organization called Outdoor Afro, which plans outings and provides
Lester L. Coleman transportation. Rue was amazed by the response and now has over IMAGEWORKS GLISSON, II,FIREFLY DJ Ann Stevenson Colley 7,000 active participants. Ferdinand Colloredo- Mansfeld Rue is offering a threshold experience for people who would not go into nature James C. Flood on their own. And she’s not alone. Land trusts are finding that it takes well-planned Elaine A. French Natasha Grigg programs to attract racial diversity to their organizations. Some are expanding public Marjorie L. Hart access and offering ethnic music, food festivals and installing picnic tables and grills on David Hartwell their properties. Others offer education programs like the Bristol Bay Heritage Land Alice E. Hausmann Trust (created by an Alaska Native village corporation), which started the Bristol Bay Albert G. Joerger David Jones River Fly Fishing and Guide Academy to teach local youth about salmon stewardship Tony Kiser and to train them for jobs in the area’s fishing lodge industry. Anne Kroeker Many land trusts are connecting people to nature by protecting nature close to Lawrence R. Kueter Beedee Ladd home. Openlands* is turning asphalt into gardens at Chicago public schools. And, in Ted Ladd downtown Pittsburgh, it’s hard to walk a block without enjoying a park, garden, flower Glenn Lamb planter or street tree created by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.* Many other Kathy K. Leavenworth Richard Leeds land trusts provide transportation funding to take inner city kids out to their preserves. Penny H. Lewis Xavier Morales, a California parks advocate, says that we need to think of parks Gretchen Long as “community wellness centers” and, indeed, researchers have demonstrated how a Mayo Lykes walk in nature improves attention, memory and mental health. If nature is essential Susan Lykes Bradford S. Marshall for human health, then access to nature should be considered a fundamental human Will Martin right. This compelling mission will bring new friends, funders and vitality to land Mary McFadden, J.D. trusts. With the help of people like Rue Mapp, land trusts are connecting people to Nicholas J. Moore John R. Muha nature and helping the land trust family look like the rest of America. Jeanie C. Nelson Rue Mapp will deliver the keynote address at Rally 2015: The National Land Conservation Caroline P. Niemczyk Conference on October 8–10 in Sacramento, California. See www.alliancerally.org. Perk Perkins Michael A. Polemis Thomas S. Reeve Christopher G. Sawyer Walter Sedgwick J. Rutherford Seydel, II *ACCREDITED LAND TRUST Julie R. Sharpe Lawrence T.P. Stifler, Ph.D. Rand Wentworth Maryanne Tagney David F. Work
www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 5 conservation NEWS
BY Rose Jenkins
Creating Places for Nature Play
hildren learn to love nature by playing in it. To nurture that connection, a number of land trusts and conservation groups in Pennsylvania have Ccreated nature play areas within their preserves. The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania offers a 1-acre nature play area, called DiscoverGround, on its Beechwood Farms Nature Preserve. Set among woodlands and a wild- flower meadow, the play area features a sandpit, a tree house, a climbing trunk, tunnels and serpentine walls. Operations Director Brian Shema says, “Time spent in this unstructured space enables children to build confidence, use their imagination and appreciate what nature can offer.”
Tips from Nature Play: Nurturing Children and Strengthening Conservation Through Connections to the Land, by the MARIANNE JENSEN
Citizen scientists work with a partner scientist from the Arizona Geological Survey to map Pennsylvania Land Trust Association: milky quartz deposits in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. • It can be simple! You just need natural elements that kids can interact with, like dirt, sand, water, flowers, sticks, trees, logs, berry bushes or leaf piles. • Attract wildlife with butterfly gardens, birdhouses or boards that Collecting Data, kids can lift to find bugs. • Encourage kids to play with nature—not just outdoors. Growing Passion • Let children invent their own play. • Offer quiet spaces for peaceful, reflective activities. • Relax your rules. Kids may do some damage—like trampling plants or muddying a stream—but it’s minor in perspective. he McDowell Sonoran Conservancy has one scientist on its staff, • Check for safety hazards on a regular basis and carry liability ecologist Melanie Tluczek. Yet the organization conducts exten- insurance. • sive research on the 30,200-acre desert preserve that it helps T manage north of Phoenix. The conservancy has completed flora and fauna inventories, a seedbank study, a map of quartz veins and a study of a historic military road. It is tracking impacts along trails, studying bird diversity, counting butterflies and monitoring sensitive species. It has published in peer-reviewed journals and its work guides the management of the publicly owned preserve. How does the organization do so much research? With volunteers! Every year, staff train 75 to 100 citizen scientists to collect data about the desert ecosystem. More advanced citizen scientists help to analyze data, manage projects and train new volunteers. “With the volunteers, we’re able to expand exponentially what we can do,” Tluczek says. Investing in volunteers brings a big return. For example, the hours that volunteers contributed to the flora and fauna inventories are valued at $242,880. The citizen science program also gets local residents passionate about the desert and its conservation. Tluczek says, “We find that the more challenging a task and the more people have to expand themselves, the AUDUBON SOCIETY OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA more invested they get.” • Children at the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania’s DiscoverGround
6 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org Saving the Sage Grouse
tah rancher Andy Taft feels a personal connection with and Sage Grouse Conservation. These stories explore Aldo Leopold’s sage grouse. “They’re a species I’ve lived with all my life, premise, “Conservation will ultimately boil down to rewarding the hunted all my life, and they add color to my life,” he says. private landowner who conserves the public interest.” “I want to see them; I want to co-exist with them. There’s Download the PDF at www.sagegrouseinitiative.com/wp-content/ U uploads/2015/06/Sand-County-Foundation-sage-grouse-FINAL-.pdf • no question about that.” . But the iconic birds have been disappearing, due to the loss of sagebrush habitat throughout the West. Their population, once in the millions, has fallen to around 500,000 and the species is a candidate for protection under the Endangered Species Act. Ranchers like Taft are trying a different approach to saving the species—through programs that incentivize voluntary, cooperative habitat restoration. Taft, along with his neighbors, has adapted his land management and grazing practices, and in their area, sage grouse populations are up. Taft points out that healthy habitat for grouse is also healthy grazing land for his sheep. Pronghorn, mule deer and many other wild species also thrive where sage grouse are thriving. Since 2010, voluntary programs coordinated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Sage Grouse Initiative have led to the restoration of 4.4 million acres of habitat. The Sand County Foundation recently published a collection of success SERVICE WILDLIFE AND FISH U.S. STEVE FAIRBAIRN, stories, including Taft’s, called Stories from the Range: Ranching Male sage grouse on a lek in Butte County, South Dakota
Spreading the Good News in New Jersey
ast fall, New Jersey was running out of money for open space preservation and the future hung on a ballot initia- tive. Previous initiatives had passed by thin margins, L providing short-term funds. This one was different because it would dedicate a long-term funding source—essential to land trust work but often hard to come by. Conservation groups built their strategy around urban voters, emphasizing clean water and quality of life—and it worked! The initiative passed with two- thirds of the vote. The ballot measure will provide more than $3 billion over 20 years—but most of that doesn’t kick in until after 2020. Now the goal is to get local governments on board, says David Epstein, president of the accredited Land Conservancy of New Jersey. In the past, towns and counties provided $2.50 in matching funds for “Our job for the next four years is to get these local folks excited every $1.00 from the state, but local funding evaporated during about land conservation again,” Epstein says. “The time is right to the recession. Now land trusts can use the voting data to make the spread the good news about conservation in New Jersey.” case that local citizens want more open space preserved—and they To read about how other land trusts worked on ballot measures want their communities to play a leading role. with help from national partners, see page 22. •
www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 7 conservation NEWS
Connecting to Nature Isn’t That Already En Español Protected?
hen an uproar arose over the development of a forest with public hiking trails in Pennsylvania, the cry was, “Wasn’t that land protected?” The W answer was “nope.” “It’s been a rude wake-up call for folks about the fact that land isn’t protected unless it’s… well…actually protected,” says Kirsten Werner, director of communications at the accredited Natural Lands Trust. Even if property was historically set aside for conservation, even if it’s been open to the public for decades, even if it’s owned by a nonprofit, land can be at risk. Priorities shift. Money runs out. Land changes ownership. In recent years, Natural Lands Trust has been working on several projects to ensure that community open space will be protected forever. These have included a conservation easement on an environmental education center in Philadelphia and the land trust’s current work to conserve a historic arboretum in Philadelphia that offers free public access, as well as educational activities, youth programs and community events. Werner sees a trend among their funders, who increasingly recognize that these community gems need permanent protection. • LAURA ELMORE, TEATOWN LAKE RESERVATION TEATOWN LAURA ELMORE,
(L to R): New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joseph Return on Investment: Martens; children and a teacher from Teatown’s Head Start/Nurtured by Nature program $600 Billion eatown Lake Reservation in New York is all about connecting people with nature, but a language barrier keeps getting in the way. In some parts of its region, north of New York City, more new study adds up the economic benefits of visits Tthan 40% of people speak Spanish as their first language. So to protected areas worldwide—and they’re pretty the environmental education center is adding a bilingual science educa- hefty. The study, called “Walk on the Wild Side: tion coordinator to its staff, thanks to a grant through the Land Trust AEstimating the Global Magnitude of Visits to Alliance’s New York program and matched by a donor. Protected Areas,” was published in PLOS Biology. It found that Teatown maintains a 1,000-acre preserve in Westchester County protected areas comprise one-eighth of all land on earth and and offers programs that include field trips, camps, leadership that together they draw 8 billion visits per year, of which 80% training, an environmental science academy and in-school programs. occur in North America and Europe. Tourism and recreation at As part of its commitment to the underserved, Teatown provides protected areas generate an estimated $600 billion per year— nature education for preschoolers in Head Start; it offers scholar- far more than the $10 billion spent to maintain them. The ships for field trips; and it has recently expanded programming in two study concludes: “Even without considering the many other school districts with large Spanish-speaking populations. ecosystem services that [protected areas] provide to people, our The new coordinator will develop a curriculum for middle and findings underscore calls for greatly increased investment in high school students and serve as an ambassador to school districts, their conservation.” teachers, parents and the public—expanding Teatown’s mission of Find the study at http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/ inspiring people to lifelong environmental stewardship. • article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1002074. •
8 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org Got Baselines?
n easement from 1980 was put to the test in a recent The 17-acre property in dispute is bounded by water on three conservation defense case in Connecticut. The Lyme sides—the Connecticut River, Selden Creek and Selden Cove— Land Conservation Trust prevailed, winning a $650,000 and lies at the center of hundreds of acres of protected land. The A award to cover restoration and legal fees. However, the court found that, upon acquiring the property, the new landowner lack of detailed baseline documentation could have cost them that converted a floodplain meadow into a lawn and gardens and enlarged win, says Executive Director George Moore. a beach. It held that the “defendant’s actions were willful and caused “Like many small land trusts, we used to be a little cavalier about great damage to the protected area’s natural condition.” our recordkeeping,” he says. “No more!” Fortunately, they were able The land trust, which was accredited last year, has been addressing to document the condition of the land based on testimony by the gaps in its records and implementing new policies for monitoring prior owner, an aerial photo and their inspection reports. Moore also and recordkeeping. Moore notes that thorough documentation and credits their success to an excellent legal team and the intervention of adequate insurance (including Terrafirma and Directors & Officers the state attorney general. [The case is under appeal.] insurance) are essential for conservation defense. •
Exploring the Future of Land Conservation
ermanent protection of natural areas requires that people care at the conference, with financial support from Forrest Berkley, Marcie enough about the land to work to conserve it for generations to Tyre, the Overhills Foundation, Sewall Foundation, the Center for come. As many mainstream conservation organizations watch Business and the Environment at Yale, the Land Trust Alliance Ptheir traditional supporters age, their attention is increasingly and an anonymous Yale donor, explored ways to increase access to focused on how best to attract new, younger, more diverse groups to conserved lands for a broader range of audiences—through physical finding value in natural areas—which requires that those individuals design and facilities, social networks and programming and the civil have access to and choose to engage with such lands. rights dimension of equal access to publicly funded resources. This July a group gathered in Maine for the 10th annual “Berkley For more information on the symposia, including proceedings Symposium: An Exploration into the Future of Land Conservation” from past sessions, visit http://environment.yale.edu/publication- sponsored by Yale University and the Land Trust Alliance. Participants series/land_use_and_environmental_planning.html.
The gathering at the 2015 Berkley Symposium
www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 9 policy ROUNDUP
BY Sean Robertson
An aide to Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (PA) checks out a map of Land and Water Conservation Fund projects in a SEAN ROBERTSON meeting with Steve Schwartz of Delaware Highlands Conservancy and Gary Bloss of Friends of Cherry Valley.
It’s a great idea, and for the past 50 years, the SAVING A Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has been doing exactly that. It has been called “America’s most important conservation program,” and over the past five decades it has infused more 50-Year Legacy than $16 billion into more than 41,000 conservation projects from coast to coast. But that essential link between energy royalties and magine a program that takes federal conservation funding could be severed soon if Congress oil and gas royalties—money fails to reauthorize the fund by September 30. With that in mind, a half dozen land trust generated from the earth’s natural Ambassadors came to Washington, D.C., for the Land wealth—and invests them to and Water Conservation Fund Fly-In Day in July. conserve national treasures like Gettysburg Sue Currier, executive director of the accredited Delaware Highlands Conservancy (NY, PA), came National Military Park and the Pacific to advocate for The Northeast Connection, a Forest I Legacy project that depends on the Senate’s higher Crest Trail, along with hometown parks and natural areas in almost every county funding level to make the cut this year. When a staff member for Rep. Matt Cartwright across America. (PA) asked for ideas for an upcoming hearing on innovation and the National Parks System, Currier had the perfect response: nontraditional partnerships.
10 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org After hosting an event back home, Bob Bugert (left) of Chelan-Douglas Land Trust (accredited) came to Land Trust Advocacy Day, where he joined Leda Chahim of Forterra (accredited) and Russ Shay of the Alliance to meet with Rep. Dave Reichert (WA).
The Northeast Connection partners with three rod and gun clubs and leverages private and government funds to conserve a key corridor adjacent to Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area—all for a fraction of the cost of federal acquisition. to do—27 senators and 72 representatives who to “opt in” and allow land trusts to directly Currier noted, “These unconventional supported LWCF in the past have not yet acquire, hold and manage easements with partnerships have elevated the presence of the signed on to one of the bills. Forest Legacy funds. The Alliance believes conservancy in our community. Bringing real That’s where you come in. Visitwww.lta. this innovation could eventually provide local examples, past and present, seemed per- org/lwcf for the latest lists and materials to a model for other LWCF programs and is suasive to staff of representatives who haven’t get your legislators on board. Each additional working with national partners and land yet cosponsored LWCF reauthorization.” co-sponsor will add fuel to the urgency of trusts across the country to seek co-sponsors The landscapes the LWCF conserves are passing LWCF legislation before the deadline. for H.R. 1582. To learn more, visit not only places for us to camp, hike, hunt and One potential dealmaker is Senate Finance www.lta.org/topics/federal-programs/ fish, they are also major economic drivers— Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden forest-legacy-program. recreation, conservation and historic preser- (OR), who said, “The Land and Water vation add more than $1 trillion annually to Conservation Fund is a down payment on Help Reauthorize NAWCA the overall economy, supporting 9.4 million the health and success of rural America. Could LWCF survive if legislation doesn’t American jobs. Investing in public lands has paid off time pass in time? Consider the case of the North That’s a point Chelan-Douglas Land Trust and again for local communities that depend American Wetlands Conservation Act Executive Director Bob Bugert drove home at on clean air and water and a strong recreation (NAWCA), which expired in the fall of 2013. an in-district event celebrating the leadership economy. America’s land trusts have been Despite the lapse, Congress has continued of Rep. Dave Reichert (WA). Two state doing yeoman’s work to build support for this to appropriate funds for NAWCA projects. legislators, the mayor, seven outdoor industry critical program, and I’m proud to work with For example, just this summer, New York’s leaders and more than 70 other supporters them to make this fund permanent.” Thousand Islands Land Trust (accredited) showed up for the event at Wenatchee, As the LWCF Fly-In wrapped up, Senate received a $1 million NAWCA grant to Washington’s new public market. Energy Committee Chair Lisa Murkowski enhance and protect critical wetlands in the “We were honored to have Congressman (AK) and Ranking Democrat Maria Cantwell St. Lawrence River Valley. Reichert affirm the importance of land con- (WA) announced a breakthrough. Their So expiration is not necessarily a death servation to the economy and quality of life for framework would allow a permanent reauth- sentence, but it’s a tenuous state in which even the citizens of North Central Washington,” orization while urging agencies to “consider longtime friends may raise “good government” Bugert said. “He has been a strong supporter conservation easements where feasible and concerns. That’s why we hope you’ll join of the LWCF, and this investment has yielded appropriate.” It’s far from a done deal, but the Alliance in supporting NAWCA strong returns to our local economy.” clearly land trusts’ hard work is paying off. reauthorization. Provisions to reauthorize Thanks to events like these, there is NAWCA, as well as the useful Federal Land reason for hope. A bipartisan coalition in Land Trusts Can Help Forest Transaction Facilitation Act, are included in Congress has introduced S. 338, S. 890 Legacy Do More two of this year’s “sportsmen’s bills”—S. 405 and H.R. 1814—all bills to permanently This year the Forest Legacy Program and H.R. 3175. For more details, visit reauthorize the fund. celebrates its 25th anniversary of provid- www.lta.org/nawca. The lead sponsor of S. 338, Sen. Richard ing grants to state and local governments Burr (NC), said, “I have experienced firsthand for the acquisition of land and easements to the importance of the LWCF and its ability conserve working forests. to help preserve, protect and celebrate our Like other programs funded through the Learn About many parks, trails and outdoor recreational LWCF, Forest Legacy often depends on LWCF at Rally 2015 areas. It is encouraging to see lawmakers and land trusts to coordinate partners, negotiate in Sacramento! stakeholders alike take on the call to action with landowners and monitor easements. Come to Workshop E11 – for LWCF reauthorization, which expires However, land trusts are currently prohibited Land and Water Conservation Fund: at the end of September. I hope more of my from holding these easements or title to the Achieving Reauthorization in 2015 colleagues will hear us and join in helping to land directly. Saturday, October 10 preserve our future.” That’s why Reps. Chris Gibson (NY) 10:30 a.m.-Noon Some of his colleagues are taking notice: and John Garamendi (CA) have introduced Learn more: www.alliancerally.org 35 senators and 130 representatives have the Forest Legacy Management Flexibility already cosponsored. But there’s plenty more Act, H.R. 1582, which would enable states
www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 11 voiced BY Valentin Lopez Tribal Chair Val Lopez helps Tribal Steward Nathan Vasquez learn the traditional ways of their ancestors.
HARRY WHO PHOTOGRAPHY we thought, “We are an unrecognized tribe and most of our members live at or below the poverty line; we own no property—how are we going to do this?” As a result of this request, we began to develop relationships with Pinnacles National Park, California State Parks, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District and local land trusts. We signed tending and gathering permits and memoranda of understanding to allow us to consult on the management of their lands. At the same time we also began to restore our traditional land stewardship knowledge. We entered into partnerships with UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz and other educational institutions that could help us, leading to a 55-acre Mutsun garden at UC Santa Cruz that is designed to help us restore our indigenous knowledge of plants and to use the plants to help restore landscapes. We created the Amah Mutsun Land Trust to conserve and protect our sacred and sensitive sites and to relearn our indigenous knowledge so we can return to the path of our ancestors. We created a two-year Mutsun Stewardship Corps to help our youth learn Until the traditional land stewardship knowledge so they can develop a healthy relationship with Mother Earth. We teach them our ethno- botany and traditional ways so they can Last Sunrise understand how to tend and gather our food, The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band in Northern California has never been federally recognized because of a reporting medicine and basketry plants. They learn to error that occurred in 1927. Suffering oppression first from the Spanish Missions, then Mexico, then the American speak our Mutsun language, make tools and government, the tribe works to heal from a history of trauma with help from the land. hunt. They attend dances and ceremonies, most of them outside our territory as we seek to restore these ceremonies and bring them n spite of our history and continuing injustices, back. It is our hope that at the end of this our Tribe is determined to find a path that will two-year program they will want to continue to work for the land trust or obtain degrees in allow us to fulfill our mandate from the Creator the natural sciences. and follow the path of our Ancestors. We believe Our Tribe has a long way to go if we are restoring our lost ceremonies, language, songs and ever to achieve balance. But it feels good to know that we have identified our path and other traditional practices will allow healing for our are working to fulfill our obligation to the I Creator. At a recent wellness meeting, a Tribe and our members to find balance within our life and our world. Our work is also designed to ensure 6-year-old member accepted the eagle feather during our healing circle and said, in a strong our Tribe’s existence until the last sunrise. voice, “My name is Angelo and I’m here because I’m Mutsun,” and then he proudly These are the goals of our wellness meetings. We say to find balance we must passed the feather. I immediately thought to have healthy relationships with all things. This theme is important in every- myself, “He knows who he is and why he’s thing we do. Our Tribe is actively working to restore a healthy relationship here; what more could we ask?” with the Creator. In 2005, elders told our Tribal Council that the Creator never EDITED EXCERPT IS FROM “HEALING FROM HISTORICAL TRAUMA” IN rescinded his mandate that we take care of Mother Earth and all living things. NEWS FROM NATIVE CALIFORNIA, WINTER 2014/2015. VALENTIN LOPEZ They told us, “We must find a way to fulfill this obligation.” Among ourselves IS CHAIR OF THE AMAH MUTSUN TRIBAL BAND.
12 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org Learn From The Best, LAND TRUST ALLIANCE Right At WEBINARS Your Desk! YOUR TRAIL MIX FOR LEARNING
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2016 CALENDAR January June • From Foot to Air: Easement Monitoring • Crafting a Compelling Message • Capital Campaigns 101 • Strategic Conservation Planning • Smart Planning for Stewardship • Successful Endowment Management February • Fee Land Management Also, don’t miss these complimentary webinars, • Growing Your Membership available through the generous funding of Alliance • Appraisal Essentials donors. Check dates and times and register online. • Pipelines and Transmission Corridors: They’re Coming Your Way Forecast Ahead: Sunny Skies With Better Defense Reserves Calculator* • Restricted Gifts Community Engagement with Land Acquisitions March Getting a Bang for Your Buck from DC Advocacy • I Tweeted. Now What? • Amendment Essentials Measuring Community Conservation Impacts • Managing Violations Advocacy for Board Members • Stewardship Technology Update Election Year Advocacy—Opportunities & Pitfalls • Thorny Acquisition Issues Basic Risk Balancing* April Increasing Impact with Community Conservation • Successful Grantwriting Advanced Risk Preparation* • Direct Mail Done Right Lessons Learned in Risk Balancing* May Understanding Your Insurance Needs* • Working with Local Media * Qualifies for Terrafirma insurance discount on per-parcel premiums. • Conserving Land with Conservation Buyers • Fundraising Databases
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Registration for all webinars opens December 11, 2015. THE SOURCE of All That Sustains Us
BY ELISABETH PTAK
14 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org Young people of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band learn how to process California brome into pinole, a food their ancestors ate. The Amah Mutsun Land Trust is working to restore coastal prairies that provide this seed.
HARRY WHO PHOTOGRAPHY
Stories of Native Americans collaborating with each other
and with land trusts ‘‘
In the settler mind, land was property, real estate, capital or natural resources. But to our people, it was everything: identity, the connection to our ancestors, the home of ‘‘our nonhuman kinfolk, our pharmacy, our library, the source of all that sustained us. — Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Potawatomi
collaborations informed by the ancient and Trust for the Little Tennessee (LTLT) is he author and wilder- remarkably effective Native American land based. It starts with the story of a little ness advocate Wallace management practices that are based on the girl on a drive to Bryson City. “My mother relationship between people and the natural would tell me to look at the Kituwah Stegner called national world. At the same time, tribal groups are Mound as we passed it,” says Joyce Dugan, parks “The best idea we ever had. creating their own land trusts to protect former chief of the Eastern Band of Absolutely American. Absolutely traditional lifeways on ancestral lands Cherokee Indians (EBCI). “At the time I Tdemocratic. They reflect us at our located outside reservation boundaries. knew it had significance, but not why.” best rather than at our worst.” In her first year as chief in 1996, Dugan Land Trust for the Little was approached by the owners of the mound Who could disagree? Tennessee/Eastern Band of to ask if the tribe wanted to buy it. “They “In their early years, a number of Cherokee Indians felt that the mound belonged back with us.” national parks evicted Native people,” As Dugan researched the mound, she says Hawk Rosales, executive director Tsigeyu?i ga:dohi – love of the land discovered it is considered “the mother town of California’s InterTribal Sinkyone of Cherokees.” She says, “Many of our oral Wilderness Council. “There’s a long history One of those collaborations began seren- histories say that all Cherokees came from of cultural and social injustice within the dipitously in 1999 in North Carolina’s that place.” conservation movement.” Upper Little Tennessee River Basin, in Dugan went before the Tribal Council Now a nascent effort in the land trust the heart of the southern Blue Ridge of 12 who needed to approve the purchase. community is achieving meaningful Mountains where the accredited Land “My knees were shaking. Here I am asking
“The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR 25 Part 151) explains governing the acquisition of land by the United States in trust status for individual Indians and tribes. It can be a very long, very expensive and sometimes controversial process. By establishing a land conservancy, tribes can protect culturally significant, ethnobotanical or traditional use lands through ownership, cultural easements or conservation easements. A tribal land conservancy is also a way for several federally recognized tribes to own land jointly.” —Lisa Haws, Kumeyaay-Digueño Land Conservancy
www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 15 THE SOURCE of All That Sustains Us
What is a cultural conservation easement? [C]ultural conservation easements place greater emphasis on the steward- ship and use of a property in order to perpetuate cultural practices and enhance culturally important plant and animal species. These easements affirm certain land uses, such as tending and harvesting culturally impor- tant plants…As they grow in popularity, cultural conservation easements may serve to push conservation easements to become more attentive to cultural land uses and cultural preservation.
—From Trust in the Land, by Beth Rose Middleton, The University of Arizona Press (2011)
them to buy some land, and here they are with estimates that there are more than 1,000 needs that are unsurpassed, such as housing remains on the property. and roads. After many years of poverty, the “To me, as an American Indian, casino that we opened in 1995 was finally conservation includes preservation of allowing us to address those needs.” culture. It’s not just about saving the But the purchase was approved unanimously. natural resources but about saving the “After we bought the land it created a kind human resource also,” says Dugan. of renaissance in our tribe of preservation and She says the Land Trust for the Little LITTLE CONSERVANCY TRAVERSE Little Traverse Conservancy helps the Odawa Natural protection,” says Dugan. “Our people love it, Tennessee gets that. Resources Department with the Getting Kids Outdoors that it’s ours. They used to drive by it like me “The things that are important to the Emmet County project. The kickoff event is held at a local farm that has been protected, in part, with a but now they can visit it.” An archeologist Cherokees are also important to our land conservation easement. trust,” says Executive Director Sharon Taylor. “Many significant cultural sites are close to major water bodies and on prime farm soil.” One of those sites is Cowee only shown respect for the land but for Mound, which had been the political, those who live on it.” economic and social center of the tribe until it was seized 190 years ago. The land Little Traverse Conservancy/ trust worked with the landowners, whose Little Traverse Bands of family had owned the property since 1838. Odawa Indians Juanita Wilson, deputy administrative officer for the tribe at the time of this Aaki gee Zah gay e go – project, helped broker a collaboration love of the land between the Tribal Council and the land trust. She says the effort wasn’t an easy Though not yet in widespread use, a one—“You have to know how to stroke the new type of protection mechanism— feathers”—but it resulted in the purchase a cultural conservation easement—is and transfer of the mound to EBCI in 2007. being considered by some groups as a way A conservation easement held by the state to safeguard historic geographic areas
SHARON TAYLOR SHARON of North Carolina allows only traditional and sacred sites.
Standing on Cowee Mound, Cherokee elder, council agricultural and educational uses. Other Frank Ettawageshik, executive director member and language specialist Marie Junaluska collaborative projects followed. of the United Tribes of Michigan and speaks to participants in the Right Path Program for Eastern Band of Cherokee adults. The program’s goal “The land trust moved slowly to gain our former tribal chairman of the Little is to produce “generations of strong Cherokee leaders trust,” says Dugan, who serves on LTLT’s Traverse Bands of Odawa Indians, grounded in tribal culture and values.” board. “Most important, they have not has been working to develop cultural
16 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org conservation easement models with apply principles that are central to ancient Tom Bailey, executive director of Little tribal relationships with nature.” Traverse Conservancy. “In some sense, Rosales encourages non-Native land cultural conservation is implicit in trusts to build meaningful relationships preserving nature, and so it is inextricably with Native peoples through authentic tied with natural history,” says Bailey. and respectful efforts toward collaboration “Natural history includes human history, based on mutual understanding and the and human history includes the history of need to protect both traditional lifeways Native people.” and conservation values. He notes that, The sentiment is echoed by Ettawageshik, “Traditional knowledge is usually very who also serves on the land trust’s board of guarded due to the history of indigenous directors. “For Native people, land preserva- peoples and places having been colonized tion is our mission. We view ourselves as and devastated. I hope that ultimately we part of the environment, not masters of the will get there, but it will require a lot of environment. In that respect, anything that sincere respect, dedication, learning and helps protect the natural landscape falls hard work.” within our Native philosophy. We want to The consortium of 10 federally recognized honor and respect Mother Earth. Any way tribes in northern California has been very LISA HAWS we can work with others who have that as successful in its own efforts with various This 80-year-old Kumeyaay elder has dedicated her part of their mission is a good thing.” partners to protect marine areas, redwood retirement from the Marine Corps to training Kumeyaay Working together is key because conflicts forests and salmon streams in the ancestral young adults to protect cultural resources. can arise if traditional uses like ceremo- Sinkyone tribal territory. It established the nies, fishing rights or seed collection and 3,845-acre InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness disbursement are outlawed when a property Area, the first of its kind in America. the reservations, the tribes formed a is conserved. “How do we preserve land and nonprofit conservancy to be able to act not make criminals out of our grandmothers Kumeyaay-Digueño quickly to preserve endangered locations. collecting medicinal plants? How do we Land Conservancy/ KDLC currently owns and manages four recognize that relationship to the land?” Kumeyaay Bands properties, including the 42-acre Sacred asks Ettawageshik. Mountain Ranch at the base of Mount éMut Mohey – love of the land Kuuchamaa on the Mexican border. InterTribal Sinkyone Kuuchamaa means “exalted high place” Wilderness Council/ Each of the nine Kumeyaay Bands that and has been considered sacred since Consortium of 10 federally are members of the Kumeyaay-Digueño before recorded history. It figures in the recognized tribes in Land Conservancy (KDLC) are recog- tribe’s creation story as the source of northern California nized by the Secretary of the Interior as teachings about personal discipline and individual tribal governments with juris- religious harmony, and it’s also considered “For Native peoples, the relationship diction over their nine separate Indian an important healing site. KDLC hopes with the natural world is the core of our reservations. Together, they straddle to return the ranch to a natural state, existence, the foundation of who we are and coastal San Diego County and northern healing the land, as well as people. why we exist,” says Hawk Rosales, executive Baja California, spanning 75 miles north In the 1950s a communication site was director of the InterTribal Sinkyone and south of the international border built on the top of the mountain, followed Wilderness Council. He believes respect and from the Pacific Ocean to western by additional communication equipment for this profound and multilayered bond is Imperial County. placed by the Border Patrol, Drug essential for the future work of non-Native “Native tribes see conservation as one Enforcement Administration, the FBI and land conservation organizations, too. “It’s holistic unit,” says Lisa Haws, assistant others. “Maybe someday, when technology remarkable that the conservation movement, executive director of KDLC. “They has advanced, the equipment can be as well-intentioned as it is, has—by and view it on a landscape scale, not removed and the mountain restored,” large—not sought to partner meaningfully piecemeal.” So when urban growth says Haws. “Until then, KDLC has with the tribes in order to understand and threatened traditional sacred lands outside developed a relationship with Homeland
www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 17 THE SOURCE of All That Sustains Us ANIA RZEPKO PHOTOGRAPHY, SYCUAN BAND OF THE KUMEYAAY NATION Paddling in a traditional reed boat called a hakuayowo on Halasii `eHa Topit (Willow Lake in Kumeyaay) on the Sycuan Indian Reservation in California
Security, providing access to Sacred The trauma that began when the band The Amah Mutsun is not a federally Mountain Ranch to carry out their border lost its traditional homelands—first to recognized tribe; it receives no assistance from protection programs.” the Spanish Missions, then to Mexican state or federal governments. “The land trust land grantees and finally to the U.S. is designed to help bring us back to traditional Amah Mutsun Land Trust/ government—is long-lasting. “Without the tribal territory,” says Lopez. But ownership is Amah Mutsun Tribal Band connection to the land, we are no longer not the tribe’s main goal. “In our tradition, our able to keep the balance in our life and ancestors didn’t look at it as owning the land. muySin-mi pire – love of the land world,” says Lopez. Drug addiction, The obligation is to stewardship. If acquisition alcoholism, mental illness and suicide is the best way to protect those lands, we will “Creator put us here to take care of plague today’s tribal members. do that, but it’s not a top priority.” Mother Earth and all living things,” “For us to restore our balance, to get well says Amah Mutsun Tribal Chairman again, we have to fulfill our obligation to Maidu Summit Consortium/ Valentin Lopez, recounting a portion Creator. That’s why we created our land Mountain Maidu of the central California tribe’s creation trust.” Lopez serves as president of the story. “For thousands of years, our board, which is a mix of tribal members hybýktini mym k’ódom – ancestors worked hard to fulfill that and non-Natives. It receives organizational love of the land responsibility.” They developed prayers expertise and support from the accredited and ceremonies to satisfy the spiritual Sempervirens Fund and has partnered with The Maidu Summit Consortium (MSC) requirements of their obligation, and UC Santa Cruz, UC Berkeley and Stanford isn’t a land trust, says founder and Executive they very actively managed the land to share traditional stewardship teachings Director Kenneth Holbrook. “It’s a through burning, pruning, sowing, seed- while gaining scientific and botanical social and environmental justice–minded scattering and more. knowledge (see page 12). nonprofit organization doing advocacy
18 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org work for protection of our sacred cultural She also founded the Native Land “Each organization is unique, yet they resources—but we’ll be looking more and Conservancy, a Native-run land trust, in 2013 have a lot of commonalities,” explains more like a land trust as time goes by.” with a consortium of representatives from several Lisa Haws of Kumeyaay-Digueño Land That’s because one of its main goals is tribes. Challenged by the high cost of buying Conservancy. “Being part of the larger reacquiring ancestral lands and managing land in their traditional homelands in eastern consortium brings economies of scale and them according to traditional Maidu ecolog- Massachusetts, the intertribal conservancy the opportunity to learn how each group is ical practices. As a largely unrecognized tribe hopes to receive donations of land rather than addressing its own conservation work. We federally, that hasn’t always been easy. In purchase them. In June they got their first support each other’s goals and missions. addition, understandable resentments related gift—a Barnstable, Massachusetts, woodlot. Learning about the success of others helps to sovereign rights, dignity and respect kept “It’s very small,” Peters says, “but the white pines each of us.” the tribe from actively seeking direct partici- are of major cultural significance to us.” pation. Holbrook says that as a nonprofit “I think people are very receptive to the Collaborations between Native tribes and adjunct to the tribe, MSC will be able to idea of returning land to Native people. non-Native land conservation organizations maintain those ethical standards and ways of We’re trying to make it easy for potential can offer both opportunities and obstacles as dealing with the world while representing the donors to approach us. Some had the the groups try to balance land conservation concerns in a different way. inclination, but no means to do it,” says the and cultural conservation goals and The nonprofit has representatives from potter. “We are now that container.” priorities. Perhaps the dilemma, and the all nine Maidu member organizations, and hope, are best summed up by Joyce Dugan provides an opportunity to be effective An Alliance of of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians: outside the tribal government setting. “We’re Western Tribes “We have an election this year. I’m learning new ways of governing programs and hopeful the next chief will continue the projects, like being mission-oriented instead Kurt Russo, executive director of California’s tradition of looking at opportunities to of being caught up in historic trauma issues, Native American Land Conservancy purchase and save tribal ancestral land. which are an exposed wound. The nonprofit is (NALC) was instrumental in bringing It’s important for everyone, but especially a source of strength for the tribe.” together six Native-run conservation groups, for our people because it says our history The group’s major turning point came including several of those profiled here, to is important. That was never taught in in 2013 when a 2,325-acre Sierra Nevada pool resources, share information and promote the past. When that information is not mountain meadow in the Humbug Valley public awareness of traditional knowledge available to our students, it tells them was turned over to the consortium by Pacific and stewardship practices. In addition to we’re not valuable. But we can never lose Gas and Electric in a bankruptcy agree- NALC, the founding members also include sight of that—people are important, as well ment. Holbrook sees it as an important step Amah Mutsun Land Trust, InterTribal as the land.” in healing and community development. Sinkyone Wilderness Council, Kumeyaay- ELISABETH PTAK IS A FREELANCE WRITER, AUTHOR AND FORMER “Without land, without a sense of owner- Digueño Land Conservancy, Maidu Summit LAND TRUST STAFF PERSON. SHE CAN BE REACHED AT EPTAK@ ship, we’ll never be able to revitalize our Consortium and the Native Conservancy. HORIZONCABLE.COM. community,” says Holbrook. “We must own our future.” An Alliance of Eastern Tribes What makes a collaboration work?
– Nuwâmônumumum ahkee • Patience and Listening. Don’t come with all the answers. Get to know we love the land one another and establish trust. Ramona Peters, artist, educator and • Sincerity and Respect. Collaboration should be based on mutual Mashpee Wampanoag Elder, makes coiled understanding and the desire to protect both traditional lifeways and pots in the style of Eastern Woodland conservation values. Native American pot builders. Beautifully • Education. Learn about tools, such as cultural conservation easements. incised with traditional symbols, the pots are delicate, yet utilitarian containers, made for cooking and storage.
www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 19 land we love
PROTECTING
What ByMatters Anna-Lisa Laca t California Rangeland Trust, an accredited land trust, we protect what matters by working with California ranching families and future generations to conserve our Golden State’s rangeland, air and water quality, wildlife habitat and local food supplies. Founded by a group of progressive cattlemen in 1998, we have permanently protected more than 286,000 acres on 55 ranches, including this working cattle Aranch in Sunol, California. Located in the Bay Area, the Koopmann Ranch is protected by a conservation easement that conserves important pond habitat for the California tiger salamander, a state and federally listed endangered species. “As a kid, I remember going to the pond and being fascinated by the salamanders,” said Tim Koopmann, who has lived on the ranch his entire life and is a leader in ranch conservation. “Our ranch is healthy open space where all animals, big and small, can do what they were intended to do. Thanks to the easement, we can give the salamander a chance to come back as a thriving species.” Rangeland conservation in the 10-county Bay Area is a high priority since 1.2 million acres of the 1.9 million acres of rangeland located there are privately owned and support the tremendous biodiversity found in the region.
20 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 21 BY Sara Mason Ader
22 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org Sherry McTigue from the Waterfront Historic Area League (WHALE) with her son, Cody, at a sign-waving event in New Bedford, Massachusetts, in support of the Community Preservation Act ballot measure
BUZZARDS BAY COALITION
Advocating for CONSERVATION FUNDING
Local-national partnerships create wins at the ballot box
t first glance, the city of New outdoor recreational facilities. By adopting Forming Local-National Partnerships Bedford, Massachusetts, a local property tax surcharge, local govern- The Alliance/TPL/local-land-trust- appears to be an unlikely place ments receive matching funds from the state’s partner collaboration in New Bedford is A for the Land Trust Alliance to Community Preservation Trust Fund. Since one of six examples from last November’s get involved in a ballot measure aimed at CPA became law in 2000, 158 cities and election cycle (see page 25). All but one of passing a conservation-oriented property tax towns have adopted it and $1.4 billion has the ballot measures were successful. The surcharge. With approximately 95,000 resi- been raised statewide. partnership was made possible with funding dents, New Bedford is the sixth-largest city As one of the only communities in from the Knobloch Family Foundation. in the state, and it struggles with many of the Buzzards Bay region of southeastern To start the process, the partnership the urban challenges facing similarly sized Massachusetts that hadn’t already opted in to identified ballot measures across the country industrial communities across the nation. CPA, the partnership was certain that with that could increase open space and natural Convincing voters to agree to pay extra the right messaging campaign the citizens of resource conservation funding, help build taxes for any reason is a challenge in any New Bedford would see the benefits of voting local organizational capacity and serve as municipality, but particularly in places in favor of the 1.5% property tax increase. To examples to others. Next, the Alliance like New Bedford, where unemployment gain local footing, the partnership worked reached out to local land trusts that could and infrastructure issues often take center with the BBC as its partner on the ground bring to the table the intimate knowledge stage in public funding discussions. “In and provided education outreach funding to of the local culture, politics and conserva- a working class community, where there support the project. tion priorities necessary to run a successful aren’t as many funding sources as in more “When we talked about what the city could campaign. “Without the involvement of a affluent communities, preservation projects do with the extra funding, people responded local group anchored in the community, it are often the first to go,” explains New very positively,” Pimental says. In November, would be difficult for any national organiza- Bedford native Alicia Pimental, who serves New Bedford’s voters made their voices heard tion to lead a successful campaign alone,” as communications and outreach manager and adopted CPA at the ballot with 54% of says Mark Ackelson, president emeritus for the Buzzards Bay Coalition (BBC), an the vote. New Bedford is one of the largest of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation accredited land trust. cities in the state to adopt CPA, which will (accredited), conservation finance advisor Nonetheless, in early 2014 a partnership of raise at least $1 million annually for commu- to the Alliance and campaign coach for the the Alliance and The Trust for Public Land nity preservation purposes. land trusts. (the partnership) identified an opportunity in “I found it very encouraging to see the “I’m a huge believer in the land trust New Bedford to encourage voters to adopt the stewardship ethic of this community,” movement, and this partnership program Community Preservation Act (CPA). CPA Pimental says. “People around here really has reinforced to me how important land is a smart growth tool that helps communi- care about preserving what makes New trusts are to their communities,” Ackelson ties preserve open space and historic sites, Bedford a special place, and as a native, that’s says. “They can play several roles with the creates affordable housing and develops a great feeling.”
www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 23 Advocating for CONSERVATION FUNDING
All ages benefit from the open space sales tax in Larimer County, Colorado.
valuable,” Lord says. “Rather than spending hours researching on the Internet, I could get answers from them quickly and then spend my time out in the community.” More specifically, the partnership helped her craft a message that would resonate with voters and then figure out a strategic timeline. That meant waiting until six weeks before the referendum to blast their message through multiple channels. Email, opinion pieces in the local papers and educational LARIMER COUNTY STAFF COUNTY LARIMER mailers were all timed to go out right before the election when voters were focusing on the ballot measures, such as leaders, spokes- And looking at the big picture, dollars bond measure. people and educators.” generated by measures approved by voters The partnership also worked with Lord to The Alliance coached the land trusts’ staff provide important matches for federal and help her identify local leaders and supply them and board members on education and advo- state farm and ranchland, water quality, wild- with research to turn them into advocates for cacy work. In conjunction with local land trust life and recreation projects. the cause. For instance, Tom Davis, a well- leaders, TPL’s conservation finance experts regarded state senator, spoke very effectively provided research and technical assistance to Providing Experience and Expertise during the campaign using research from local elected officials to design ballot measures In South Carolina the partnership provided BCOLT, Lord says. that would have a strong chance of garnering expertise and funding to assist the Beaufort The ballot measure ended up passing with voter support. Its field staff assisted with County Open Land Trust (BCOLT) in more than 70% of the vote. Ackelson views feasibility research, polling and voter commu- educating voters about a proposed $20 million the high approval rate as testament to the nications, including targeted mailings and bond issue on the ballot last November. quality of the educational campaign run by digital outreach. “It’s fairly typical that land Although Beaufort County has a strong Lord. “That showed us what somebody with trusts and grassroots organizations are very history of support for conservation efforts, knowledge and passion for the place could thinly staffed and short on resources. We are this was the fourth such initiative since accomplish. With the assistance of the part- trying to help them see they can tap into this 2000 and support for the measure was less nership, Lisa really got the tools she needed partnership to vastly expand their capabili- certain. A feeling was growing among some to run a successful campaign despite never ties and develop funding to accomplish their in the community that enough land had been having done this before,” he says. missions,” Ackelson explains. preserved, says Lisa Lord, Rural and Critical Lands Program administrator for BCOLT. Engaging Local Land Trusts To counter that message, Lord collaborated The situation was a little different in Larimer Land Trusts with the partnership to spread the word about County, Colorado, where local partner K-Lynn the economic and quality of life benefits of Cameron—a former conservation director Can Lobby preservation. and current advisor to the executive board of It’s a common misconception that Although Lord, a natural resource Legacy Land Trust—was involved in educating land trusts can’t participate in biologist, knew her community well, this voters on an issue up for debate in November ballot measure campaigns. While was her first time running a public education 2014. The county was facing a ballot measure endorsement of candidates is strictly prohibited by the IRS, land trusts can campaign. She relied on the experience of her to extend the quarter-cent open space sales and do lobby within limits, including counterparts at the Alliance and TPL to help tax originally passed in 1995. That tax had advocating on behalf of state and her effectively communicate key messages to been extended in 1999 for 15 years, and the local conservation funding measures. county voters. county determined that the timing was right See www.lta.org/issues-action/ tools-tips/politics-whats-allowed. “They helped me get over the learning in 2014 to push for a 25-year extension. curve. They were that instant resource for Cameron had worked on the public educa- all of the questions I had and that was very tion campaign for this issue in the 1990s,
24 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org November 2014 Partnership Ballot Measures PLACE LOCAL PARTNER BALLOT QUESTION PASS when Legacy Land Trust was unwilling to get involved in anything it perceived to be Grand Traverse Regional Extension of open Yes political. Yet the tax had provided a steady Acme Township, MI Land Conservancy space mill levy (57%) stream of funding for another local land trust (accredited) that was willing to support the issue over the Beaufort County Open $20 million bond issue Yes years, and this time around Legacy Land Beaufort County, SC Land Trust for open space (73%) Trust was far more willing to participate after a little nudging from the Alliance and TPL, Creation of a No she says. Benton County, WA Tapteal Greenway Conservation (47%) Legacy Land Trust raised a total of Futures Fund $16,500 to pay for an educational mailer that went to 35,000 households in Larimer Rio Grande Agricultural Open space 0.20 mill Yes Land Trust; New Mexico levy (72%) County in October just before the election. Bernalillo County, NM “Having Mark help facilitate this connec- Land Conservancy (accredited) tion with Legacy Land Trust was one of the most important results of this partnership,” Legacy Land Trust; Yes Cameron says. TPL was also instrumental Larimer County, CO Estes Valley Land Trust Quarter cent sales tax (82%) in conducting polling before the campaign (accredited) to help figure out how to structure the messaging, she adds. Buzzards Bay Coalition MA Community Yes New Bedford, MA (accredited) Preservation Act (54%) Assessing the Results Following the 2014 election cycle, the For more information, see www.landvote.org Alliance and TPL have been evaluating their joint efforts. With five out of six initiatives able to do without their help,” says McCord, had a shot at passing. He relied heavily on the passing, the results alone make a strong executive director (and sole staffer) of the experience of the Alliance and TPL in orches- statement. Feedback from the local partners Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust. She trating an educational campaign. has been helpful, such as that from Cecilia notes that more guidance from the Alliance After the loss, the campaign committee Rosacker McCord in New Mexico, who and TPL after the election would have been felt that “the negative votes were uninformed worked on a ballot measure in Bernalillo welcome. Mark Ackelson remarks that in votes,” Woodward says. “The precincts County that passed by 72%. mapping out future plans for continued coor- of the losses were ones in which the “It was great in terms of getting our names dination between the Alliance and TPL on committee felt it didn’t do the best job on out there in a way that we would’ve never been similar measures, follow-up tracking will be the ground in educating voters.” something that will receive more emphasis. Woodward reports that he and his allies are Research and planning for the next round eager to bring this initiative before the public in is already under way, funded by the Knobloch the near future, and that they would definitely Family Foundation through the 2016 election seek advice again from the Alliance and TPL. cycle. Plans include production of case studies “Having them on your side is huge,” he says. and a handbook outlining the process for Alliance President Rand Wentworth says the land trusts, Ackelson says. “We consider the organization stands ready to help. “Recognizing work a great success to be replicated. Even in that the federal government is no longer the the one instance where the measure was not major source of funding for land conservation, successful, we didn’t lose by much and we may we will continue to work with our members to revisit that area.” support local and state ballot measures. A record The loss was in Benton County, $13 billion in conservation funds was gener- Washington, where the creation of a ated at the polls in 2014 alone. Clearly, with Conservation Futures Fund was narrowly the right approach, America’s voters support
TAPTEAL GREENWAY TAPTEAL defeated. President Scott Woodward of land conservation. We should all be thinking In the past 20 years, the Tapteal Greenway has reached Tapteal Greenway, the local partner, knew about giving them that opportunity.” more than 10,000 students ages 2-71 with interactive from the start he was facing an uphill battle, SARA MASON ADER IS A FREELANCE WRITER AND EDITOR BASED IN exploration of the Yakima River environment. but polling data indicated that the measure HINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.
www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 25 And the Winner Is… THE LAND CONSERVATION COMMUNITY
Kingsbury Browne Fellows explore cutting-edge issues in land conservation
By Christina Soto
hat happens when you create an award and fellowship, give it annually to a winner nominated from within his or her community of practice W and give that winner time to explore and write about cutting-edge issues? The entire community benefits, enriched by the shared knowledge of these honored leaders.
Kingsbury Browne, the lawyer who traveled around and Fellowship at Rally 2006, many people in the room the country in the early 1980s to meet people in the new knew who he was. For 25 years he served as counsel field of land conservation, believed in networking. His and then president of the Vermont Land Trust,* a ideas led to the formation of the Land Trust Exchange, group that in its 38 years has helped landowners protect later renamed the Land Trust Alliance in 1989. The about 8% of Vermont’s private undeveloped land. He Kingsbury Browne Conservation Leadership Award decided to tackle a tough topic during his fellowship, was created by the Alliance in 2006 in conjunction with writing a working paper titled “Amending Perpetual the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy establishing the Conservation Easements Confronting the Dilemmas Kingsbury Browne Fellowship, administered by the of Change: A Practitioner’s View.” He writes, “As Institute’s Department of Planning and Urban Form. conservation easements age, land trusts have begun to Kingsbury himself was a Lincoln Institute Fellow in confront changed circumstances that they could not 1980. The nine winners exemplify his goal of sharing have anticipated when the easements were drafted,” ideas, experiences and knowledge with others to nurture changes such as those in laws, technology, community and mentor the next generation of conservationists and needs or climate. He explores questions, such as “What leaders. The fellowship enables the recipient to undertake criteria should be used to determine whether an easement a project that can be shared with the broader conserva- amendment would be appropriate?” www.lincolninst.edu/ tion community. Here are short descriptions of eight of pubs/1686_Amending-Perpetual-Conservation-Easements- those projects (the ninth is still developing1), with links to Confronting-the-Dilemmas-of-Change further reading. Mark C. Ackelson (2007 – 2008) Darby Bradley (2006 – 2007) During his fellowship, Mark Ackelson, then-president When Darby Bradley took the stage to accept the first of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation,* ventured Kingsbury Browne Conservation Leadership Award into territory that some considered off the map for land
26 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org trusts. “Working within the land trust an estimated three million acres of land Hampshire, and now leads the development network, many of us have been acculturated a year is lost to development—dividing and structuring of conservation-oriented to consider natural communities to the watersheds, fragmenting wildlife corridors, forestland and rural land purchases exclusion of our human surroundings,” and disrupting sustainable economic uses and dispositions. Having a long history he wrote in the Lincoln Institute’s Land of the land.” His stories of community- with The Trust for Public Land and Lines article “Land Conservation and based conservation efforts in Colorado, the Land Trust Alliance, Peter also is a Communities.” “To be most effective, Montana and the Northern Rockies founding commissioner of the Land Trust however, we must deal with the complete demonstrate success through local land- Accreditation Commission. Venturing range of communities and all their human owner leadership backed by strong private- beyond the United States, Peter decided and ecological complexities.” Was this public partnerships. www.lincolninst.edu/ to connect with land conservation profes- mission creep or something revolutionary, pubs/1913_Large-Landscape-Conservation sionals around the world to try to better building on the ideas of visionary thinkers understand the scale and scope of activities such as the Center for Whole Communities, Jay Espy (2010 – 2011) undertaken by land conservation NGOs which expounds that people will not embrace Another pioneer in collaborative and large- in other countries. His research convinced conservation unless conservation embraces scale land conservation, Jay Espy joined the him that “a present-day convening and people? As more land trusts began exploring Elmina B. Sewall Foundation as its first ongoing exchange of ideas among interna- the concept of “community conservation,” executive director in January 2008, having tional private and civic land conservation the Alliance created an entire program previously served as president of Maine groups would allow us all to learn a great around it, which launched in 2014. www. Coast Heritage Trust.* During his tenure deal from one another.” That is now lincolninst.edu/pubs/1651_Land-Conservation- at MCHT, he helped establish the Maine happening, as Peter joins other vision- and-Communities Land Trust Network, which helps build aries, including the Alliance’s current capacity of local land trusts throughout the chair, Laura Johnson, in the International Laurie Wayburn (2008 – 2009) state. The goal of his fellowship was “to Land Conservation Network (see page Cofounder and president of the Pacific Forest help foundations more effectively support 36). “The Global Reach of Land Trust Trust* in San Francisco, California, Laurie land conservation and assist the efforts of Organizations” can be found at Wayburn serves as a leading advocate for the conservation practitioners working on the www.lincolninst.edu/pubs/2435_The-Global- significant climate benefits of forests. “U.S. ground.” The results of interviews with Reach-of-Land-Trust-Organizations. forests, conserved and properly managed for selected leaders representing land conservation resilience to a changing climate, can double practitioners and philanthropic investors Lawrence R. Kueter (2013 – 2014) their current sequestration of carbon dioxide operating in the northeastern United States Having recently stepped down from while contributing the majority of projected are published in his paper “Effective Practices chairing the Land Trust Accreditation renewable energy supplies in the next 50 years in Funding Land Conservation for Impact” Commission since its creation in 2006, at costs equal to or below other emissions with Gina Schrader. www.lincolninst.edu/ Larry Kueter has been a proponent of reductions efforts,” she writes in her paper, pubs/2164_Effective-Practices-in-Funding- quality land conservation for many years. A “Forests in United States Climate Policy: Land-Conservation-for-Impact Denver attorney specializing in conserva- A Comprehensive Approach.” To stem the tion easements, he has been instrumental present trend of U.S. forest loss, she proposes Audrey C. Rust (2011 – 2012) in the protection of nearly 600,000 acres three key actions: reducing forest loss, restoring Funding sources, acquisition strategies of land, has handled legal issues for the existing forests’ carbon stocks and reforesting and key challenges—these are things that Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts and the former forests. www.lincolninst.edu/pubs/1678_ Audrey Rust knows about after 24 years with Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Forests-in-United-States-Climate-Policy Peninsula Open Space Trust* in Palo Alto, Trust* (CCALT) and serves as an adjunct California, from which she retired in 2011. professor in Environmental and Natural Jamie Williams (2009 – 2010) Now on the board of the American Prairie Resource Law at the University of Denver’s President of the Wilderness Society Reserve, Audrey shares her insights in land Strum College of Law. His paper “Cowboys since 2012, Jamie Williams was initially conservation through an interview in Land and Conservation: A Short History of and a pioneer in collaborative conserva- Lines in which she compares POST’s and Reflections on the Dramatic Growth of tion work in the West with The Nature APR’s particular histories and characteristics Private Land Conservation in Western Conservancy.* As Montana state director and offers some universal lessons for Ranching” traces the rise of rangeland for nine years, he focused on conserving all involved in the challenging work of trusts, starting in 1995 with CCALT, the the state’s largest, most intact landscapes preserving open space. www.lincolninst. first land trust to come directly out of a through strong community programs and edu/pubs/2220_A-Tale-of-Two-Land-Trusts- statewide cattle producer’s organization. private-public partnerships. In his paper Strategies-for-Success www.lincolninst.edu/pubs/3569_Cowboys- “Large Landscape Conservation: A View and-Conservation Peter R. Stein (2012 – 2013) from the Field,” he writes, “The need to 1 JEAN HOCKER, THE 2014-2015 WINNER, HAS NOT COMPLETED HER PROJECT YET AND THE 10TH WINNER WILL BE AWARDED AT RALLY 2015 move beyond piecemeal conservation to In 1990 Peter Stein joined the Lyme THIS OCTOBER. systemic success has never been greater, as Timber Company LP in Hanover, New * ACCREDITED LAND TRUST
www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 27 board MATTERS
BY Kirsten Ferguson
An Extra Set of Hands
Eastern Shore Land Conservancy board and staff members partner with their community to prepare for climate change.
n the Chesapeake Bay, entire islands are Today all that remains of Holland Island is marshland, underwater at high tide and disappearing. Maryland’s Holland Island is home to terns, bald eagles and other wild- one of them. In 1910 it was a small fishing life. The Bay’s 40 or so other islands face a community with over 350 residents. Then similar fate: gradually being swallowed by I the sea. the Bay water started rising, forcing residents to The Chesapeake Bay’s sea level is rising faster than the world average, in part due to flee. Several years ago the island’s last remaining erosion and the natural sinking of land around house finally collapsed into the water. Before it the Bay, but scientists say climate change is accelerating the problem. In Maryland—and gave way, the house appeared to sit alone on top coastal areas all over the country—sea-level of the waves. rise contributes not only to shore erosion but
28 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org The last house stands on Maryland’s Holland Island on the Chesapeake Bay before rising waters finally claimed it.
DAVID HARP Five Ways (C) 2009/CHESAPEAKEPHOTOS.COM FOR LAND TRUSTS TO HELP COMMUNITIES PREPARE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE also threatens inland areas with flooding, storm surges and erosion. ll geographic regions are different, but all are starting to “Folks are concerned and looking experience the impacts of climate change in some form. for guidance on what to do,” says Brian Ambrette, coastal resilience specialist Here are five ways to make a difference in your area: for the accredited Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC), which has protected 1. Evaluate the assets of your particular organization and where over 50,000 acres of farmland, coastal areas Ayou can fill a needed role. “Think about the strengths that your organ- and critical wildlife habitat in six counties ization has—whether it’s in relationships or expertise in the sciences—and along Maryland’s vulnerable Eastern Shore. how those strengths can be used as leverage tools. That’s a good place to start,” Ambrette joined the organization in 2014, says ESLC Coastal Resilience Specialist Brian Ambrette. “Also look at the tasked with helping communities assess particular needs of your landscape or community.” the risks associated with sea-level rise and become more resilient to the impacts of 2. Partner with universities and other experts. Start by contacting scien- climate change. tific experts or looking for existing studies and climate change projections to find The National Oceanic and Atmospheric out where land and ecosystems are most at risk. Consider hosting a conference to Administration (NOAA) defines coastal bring together potential partners or undertake an assessment that sheds light on resilience on its website as “the ability of a your region’s vulnerabilities. Focusing on the science can help minimize potential community to ‘bounce back’ after hazardous controversy, says ESLC board member Howard Freedlander. events such as hurricanes, coastal storms and flooding—rather than simply reacting 3. View protected lands as an asset in climate change adaptation to impacts.” and mitigation. Consider prioritizing land projects that offer some protec- “In nearly every county we have a tion against the impacts of climate change. Examine studies that project what tremendous amount of property at risk from the landscape could look like 50 and 100 years from now. “It all goes back to climate change,” says ESLC board member land being our greatest asset in this challenge against climate change and global Howard Freedlander. “We have some really warming,” says Ambrette. “It really makes a strong case for conservation.” low-lying land. We have land affected by shore erosion, storm surge and sea-level rise 4. Serve as a resource for the public and policymakers. “An important every day. Property owners naturally are role of the land trust is to be a resource—an honest broker,” says Freedlander. concerned about, and sensitive to, the effect Look for openings for staff or board members to serve on state or regional of sea-level rise. Many have taken adaptive committees related to climate change. “Land trusts have an opportunity to be measures to minimize impact.” a credible voice at the table” when legislators are making decisions related to A retired deputy treasurer for the state of climate change, Freedlander says. Maryland, Freedlander has written several newspaper and online columns calling for 5. Communicate to the public the value of your work in relation action on climate change. “This has been to climate change. The Yale Project on Climate Change Communication a subject of grave concern for our board (environment.yale.edu/climate-communication) offers map-based public polling members,” he says. “Personally, I feel very data that land trusts can use to explore public opinions on climate change in strongly about climate change and global their areas of work. The project also offers tips for how to communicate with warming. Denial is not an option.” the public on the issue. Tell your constituencies about the important role that In 2013, ESLC organized a conference land trusts already play in addressing climate change, such as keeping resilient about climate change and coastal resil- natural ecosystems intact, which in turn protects corridors for migrating ience featuring experts like Don Boesch, wildlife and areas for storing water and carbon. president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, who told conference attendees that current
www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 29 board MATTERS
Get Started
Not sure how your land trust can plan for climate change? The Land Trust Alliance’s new website, “Conservation in a Changing Climate,” can walk you through the process. Whether you’re in a coastal area or on a heartland plain, the website contains resources and case studies that cover a broad array of actions available to land trusts that want to explore climate change impacts and how to make a difference. Visit climatechange.lta.org and click on “Get Started.” See page 34 for more about the new site.
projections indicate the area could experience a 2.1-foot governments developed over 25 years of protecting the sea-level rise by 2050. land. It also helps the land trust live up to its mission of Attended by farmers, citizens, policymakers and perpetuity and confront changes that may occur in the environmental groups, the conference avoided politics landscape over time. and focused on the science of climate change and “Very few organizations are doing this work on the how the land trust’s various constituencies, such as Eastern Shore,” says Ambrette. “There’s a need. It was an the agricultural community, could be affected by it, opportunity for ESLC to use its leadership and reputation Freedlander says. for tackling big issues to jump on this. It’s exciting because One important outcome from the conference was we’re bringing conservationists to the table with planners, the establishment of Ambrette’s position, created from emergency managers and public health officials. It can be a scratch to fill a void identified by the land trust. “The model for other places in the country.” issue was becoming a hot topic and few were addressing ESLC also updated the organization’s project it,” Ambrette says. “Public opinion recognizes that we selection criteria to evaluate parcels in part by a are vulnerable to coastal hazards and something has to coastal resilience value that scores properties by be done about it.” their importance for protecting coastal communities One of the first tasks Ambrette and ESLC undertook and habitat from rising sea levels in the future. For was a coastal resilience assessment (available on their instance, they might prioritize land that provides website, eslc.org) that analyzed the coastal hazards facing storm surge protection, or low-lying farmland with the the Eastern Shore and the capacity of local governments potential to eventually become marshland. to rebound quickly from weather and climate-related The land trust also worked with state agencies to events. “The assessment was the 30,000-foot view of the draft easement language that allows for land cover and vulnerabilities for the landscape,” says Ambrette. “We habitat on protected property to change over time as sea did it to understand the needs and priorities of what levels rise, for instance, allowing farmland to become we’re facing, and how we can design our program to wetter and eventually transition to marsh. meet those needs.” “There isn’t a silver bullet we can use today to One important finding: Although Eastern Shore make everything livable in the future,” says Ambrette. counties were fairly well prepared for hazards like “With our planning and adaptation strategies, the goal hurricanes and tidal flooding, as required by the is to give people 100 years from now more options, so Federal Emergency Management Agency, they hadn’t they’re not hamstrung.” As an example, he describes a planned for how climate change could make those local town’s efforts to use green infrastructure to store hazards more severe. “We saw the need for positioning tidal waters as a short-term solution to the problem of ourselves as an extra set of hands for counties to flooding related to sea-level rise. start doing this work: to start long-term planning for “For the next 10 to 20 years, that’s a viable option for climate change,” says Ambrette. them,” he says. “If you can take measures that will buy He admits that at first the work may seem outside the your community some time, then you create breathing scope of traditional land preservation, but the program room to consider longer-term strategies.” allows the land trust to capitalize on its existing FREELANCE WRITER AND EDITOR KIRSTEN FERGUSON CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.KIRSTEN strengths: strong relationships with local partners and FERGUSON.COM.
30 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org accreditation CORNER
BY Rose Jenkins
Getting Accredited, GROWING STRONGER
hat’s the hardest part about accreditation? The work it takes to get there. What’s the best part about accreditation? The work it takes to get there. LandWhen Trust you ask land Accreditation trust leaders what they gained from accreditation, they talk about various W benefits—likeEFFECTIVE credibility & MORE with EFFICIENT landowners and funders, or readiness for a legal challenge or an audit. But overwhelmingly they say the number one benefit of accreditation is that the process improved how The Land Trust Accreditation Commission independently verifies that a land trust meets their landEffective trust does national its qualityjob. standards through a rigorous review process. First-time accreditation makes land trusts STRONGER. At the Granby Land Trust in At the quasi-governmental Louisville to take a hard look at our internal practices. Connecticut, board100% member David Russell 73%and Jefferson County Environmental97% Trust What we learned caused us to do better.” report the accreditation report the accreditation have chosen says, “We literallyprocess had strengthened no written policies processin Kentucky,led to a more staff used the accreditationto renew their Tepper says that the standards of profes- before we startedtheir landthis trust process.” Since its engagedprocess board to knock out importantaccreditation tasks that sionalism and quality required for accreditation founding in 1972, board members had been usually got sidelined—like updating older are increasingly expected of land trusts. “Even RENEWAL ensures continued EFFECTIVENESS. going aboutAccredited their land trusts work apply fairly for renewal informally. every five years thereby easements,reaffirming their commitmentrevisiting to nationaltheir qualitypolicies standards. and Through though it’s a challenge in terms of time, in terms Since achievingrenewal accredited accreditation, land trusts address theychallenges have that would otherwiseorganizing compromise their their work, files. thus ensuringLisa theirHite continued says, “There of organization, in terms of cost, in this day effectiveness. checklists and procedures to ensure quality. was a lot of work that we don’t get to do and age it’s a cost of doing business,” he says. They also got their files out of founders’ on a day-to-day basis, but because we were In a recent survey, 100% of newly accred- and board members’ basements, collecting putting a concerted effort into accreditation, ited land trusts reported the process made them into well-organized, backed-up it forced us to just do it. It’s like you get your them stronger. Land trusts applying for archives. Russell says, “The quality and adrenaline going and you’re100% going to get renewal also use the opportunity to identify accessibility of our records was turned that stuff done!” COMPLIANT and address significant challenges. around 180 degrees.” Henry Tepper, a formerAT LandRENEWAL Trust Fortunately, it’s not just land trusts that It took33% 18 months for the 43%land trust’s Accreditation38% Commissioner, says that most are improving. The accreditation process is did not always have did not adequately review did not always investigate board, volunteerseasement baseline and two-personprojects for taxpart- code landtitle prior trusts to closing working toward accreditation see improving too. In response to feedback from documentation at closing compliance time staff to complete the process, but the challenges as opportunities.AT RENEWAL: He says, “I land trusts that the process was too cumber- Russell says, “It’s absolutelyBEFORE RENEWAL: worth it. CHALLENGES It has talk to land trusts all the timeSUCCESS! who say that some, the Accreditation Commission made made us much better.” it was sometimes very hard, but it caused us four major changes: More Efficient • Easier planning—with a revamped accreditation website Accreditation is 30% LESS WORK. The completion of the “Improving the Journey” project keeps accreditation effective while making it more • Straighter path—with fewer steps that efficient. This saves accredited land trusts time to do what they do best: save the places people love. take less time • Lighter load—with reduced documenta- tion requirements + + + = • Better tools—with an improved online renewal application Reach Goal Easier Straighter Lighter Better Planning Path Load Tools 30% As a result, on average, land trusts will Faster complete the process 30% faster. Now it’s easier to grow stronger. A Mark of Distinction The accreditation seal AFFIRMS national quality standards are met. INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE? TO REVIEW THE PROGRAM EVALUATION PROGRESS AND TRACK THE ONGOING IMPROVEMENTS, PLEASE SEE THE COMMISSION’S WEBSITE AT WWW.LANDTRUSTACCREDITATION.ORG. Sound Finances
Strong Transactions www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 31 Excellent Land and Easement Stewardship
Effective Governance
For more information about land trust accreditation and the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, see www.landtrustaccreditation.org. MAY 2015 fundraising WISDOM
BY Bob Mims
Endowments The gifts that keep on giving JOHN HOFFMAN, DUCKS UNLIMITED DUCKS HOFFMAN, JOHN
Ducks Unlimited's Verona Wetlands Complex in Nebraska is its flagship conservation effort in the Rainwater Basin, one of the most important habitats in the Central Flyway.
ften misunderstood by both donors and nonprofit entities, endowments are gifts that do not provide the immediate impact that an outright gift makes Otoward a nonprofit’s mission. As a result, many nonprofits do not prioritize endowment giving as a regular strategy in their fundraising efforts. However, nonprofits that engage in a successful endowment growth strategy are best positioned to weather difficult economic downturns.
For donors and nonprofits that have a muddled view of gift. In other words, endowments are intended to retain endowments, here’s a simple definition: An endowment is their principal into perpetuity while the income gener- a gift of capital, investments, land or some other financial ated is used for programs and mission. Endowments date instrument to a nonprofit with a restriction on its use back to the second century and were used for educational that is generally defined as the income produced from the institutions to pay for fellowships and scholarships.
32 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org The types and restrictions of endowment be liquidated by the nonprofit’s board therefore, many nonprofits allocate a portion gifts are endless, as donor intent prevails for another use. Educational institu- of their planned gift maturities as the source in how to account for these instruments. tions are highly successful in pursuing of their quasi-endowments. The range Some donors allow the institution to and receiving direct gifts to endow- on this allocation stretches up to 100%. decide how an endowment may be used. ments. However, other nonprofits Determining how much to allocate to Others may want to give an endowment are finding success in developing operations versus quasi-endowments should for a certain purpose or time period, and endowment giving to be part of their be carefully considered in the nonprofit’s may require it to be invested in a certain development portfolio. endowment strategy. way. As part of a donation acceptance 2. Quasi-endowments – These gifts are Market appreciation is another critical policy, nonprofits should develop an similar to restricted endowments with element of an endowment strategy. Best endowment policy that provides guidelines one key distinction. Quasi-endowments practices among nonprofits suggest the that include the following: are gifts to a nonprofit that have been establishment of an investment committee • Minimum donation for an endowment internally or board-restricted to be to serve as a fiduciary and to decide how to • Minimum donation for an endowment treated as an endowment. These gifts invest and monitor endowments to maxi- to have naming rights are categorized in the unrestricted net mize returns while limiting risk. Nonprofits • Area or program for appropriations to asset section of a nonprofit’s balance should have an investment strategy that be spent sheet and are usually combined in diversifies the endowment portfolio and • Investment guidelines for the gift management reporting on an entity’s considers the following, at a minimum: endowment portfolio. The board, at • Investment objectives There will likely be exceptions to any its discretion, may remove the restric- • Spending objectives policy depending on the donor’s giving tion on a quasi-endowment and use its • Asset allocation situation, but a policy helps guide a donor proceeds for operations. • Performance and monitoring to give to a nonprofit’s highest and best 3. Net market appreciation – As part • Selection and discharge of use for its mission. At the end of the day, of a nonprofit’s investment policy, investment managers the donor and nonprofit should be in sync the organization must establish how on the use of resources to accomplish a much of the market appreciation Those nonprofits with the discipline to program or objective. will be spent on program activities. build organizational sustainability are the So how does a nonprofit build its endow- The spending policy can be simple or ones whose programs and missions will ments? Unfortunately, there is no easy way complex. Nonprofits still at the infancy likely endure. An endowment strategy to build an endowment overnight. An effec- stage on endowment growth will often is a critical component in building that tive endowment strategy must be supported establish a very conservative spending strength. A colleague once said, “I went by all three aspects of a nonprofit: program, policy to allow for the endowment to my annual budget meeting and listened fundraising and administration. Pursuing portfolio to take advantage of to each fundraising team and program endowment gifts requires that a nonprofit compounding returns over time. department walk through how impor- forgo resources in the current period in tant their roles were to the organization order to build sustainability for the future. Endowments do not simply show up at for the next year’s budget. I listened Initially, this concept may not be well a nonprofit’s front door. It takes time for intently to how many resources would received by a board of directors accustomed program, fundraising and administration be produced for next year’s mission and to using all resources today for its program. to understand the advantages of engaging realized that all of those efforts combined Since building endowments takes time, it in an endowment strategy. The strategy do not approach the amount that will be should become part of an organization’s also requires discipline. Many nonprofits produced with no effort from our existing long-term business model that considers the have a planned giving program that endowments.” Endowments provide the following three ways to grow endowments: stewards donors to leave large gifts to the most efficient resources for a nonprofit’s 1. Restricted endowment outright organization upon their death. These gifts critical mission. gifting – Gifts from donors that are can provide significant resources for a BOB MIMS IS THE CONTROLLER AND DIRECTOR OF INVESTMENTS directed or restricted to be endow- nonprofit’s programs. Obviously, these are FOR THE ACCREDITED DUCKS UNLIMITED, INC., HEADQUARTERED IN ments are categorized as permanently one-time gifts that should be considered MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE. HE ALSO SERVES ON THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD AND restricted. They are accounted for in a capital gifts. Logically, these “capital” IS THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CPA’S NOT FOR separate net asset category and cannot gifts should be used for “capital” purposes; PROFIT CONFERENCE.
www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 33 resources & TOOLS
The website, which debuted in early NEW CLIMATE CHANGE June, acts as a resource center to guide and inspire land trusts to address threats posed by climate change. “The resource center helps visitors Resource Online better understand the fundamentals of climate change, plan for climate change in land conservation and incorporate outreach strategies that build public and trusts are working every day to support for such work,” says Heskett. conserve in perpetuity the places Twenty-seven case studies (so far) provide Americans need and love, but the on-the-ground examples of best practices and lessons learned from an array of Alliance challenges that climate change partners, ranging from local land trusts to presents to these long-term aims are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. incredibly varied and complex,” says Erin Heskett, For example: Land Trust Alliance national director. “Our new • Marc Hudson of North Florida Land website, Conservation in a Changing Climate, empowers Trust: A public official from a county “L 100 miles upriver believed he wouldn’t land trusts to find the information they need to tackle experience any problems from sea-level climate change in their conservation work.” rise. Through conservation planning and mapping, Marc showed him that the main tributary stream that runs through that county is due for major flooding. Better yet, Marc was able to show the official “we had already identified priority land purchases in the floodplain of that creek, so that the flooding situa- tion would not be exacerbated.” The website was made possible through the generous financial support of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and through technical support provided by the Coastal Conservation Networking Partnership and Climate Change Advisory Committee. Visit http://climatechange.lta.org. •
Climate Change in the Midwest
JOINING RECENT REPORTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE is Weather We Don’t Recognize: How climate change is affecting the Midwest’s weather and how communities are responding from Island Press and the National Wildlife Federa- tion. Author Sandra Tassel describes in the APRIL HUNT Lowell Leaders in Stewardship is an after-school youth environmental education program run in introduction: “The purpose of this report is partnership with the Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust (accredited) and Mass Audubon (accredited) Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, with support from the Lowell Public Schools. The program is to help individuals, organizations, corpora- profiled in the Youth Education section of the new climate change website. tions, communities, philanthropists and
34 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org CONNECT WITH US! www.facebook.com/landtrustalliance www.twitter.com/ltalliance
governments understand and respond to new weather patterns.” She says that on the one hand, “Our responses should seek to stem the huge increase in heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere that are the root cause of climate change…However, Forecast Ahead: because we are already experiencing the extreme weather associated with [it], we Sunny Skies With also need to prepare for the effect on us and our communities.” Better Reserves Download the report at http://island press.org/midwest. • Now you can easily get a more accurate forecast of your land trust’s reserve needs with the new Studying the Nexus of Alliance Legal Defense Reserves Calculator. Water and Land Featuring: SCOTT CAMPBELL, a joint fellow with the • Forecasting model based on actuarial data Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and the collected from hundreds of land trusts across Loeb Fellowship at the Graduate School the nation of Design at Harvard University, recently gave a talk about how land trusts play a • Risks tailored for your region role in the protection and management of • Calculations for reserves for both land you water resources. In Surface Tensions: Large own and easements Landscape Conservation and the Future of America’s Rivers, Campbell acknowledges • Better data baselines to offer you a fuller that preserving the integrity of a resource risk assessment that moves is inherently complex, espe- cially when that resource is subject to vast Be prepared to survive a significant legal sets of laws, regulations and bureaucratic challenge or series of challenges. Use the new systems that have evolved over centuries. Legal Defense Reserves Calculator and know Land trust transactions that include new components such as water rights can your local forecast. be made even more complicated. Campbell recommends building on market tlc.lta.org/calculator mechanisms, incentives and appropriate pricing to encourage maximum efficiency Questions? Please contact Leslie Ratley-Beach, Conservation and conservation. Inter-basin compacts, Defense Director at 802-262-6051 water networks and water trusts require or [email protected]. water owners to be a “different kind of neighbor,” he says, with a big-picture view of how the management of the resource can benefit wilderness, agricultural land and urban development. Formerly the executive director of the accredited Palmer Land Trust, Campbell has worked in conservation, preservation, * The Learning Center is a service offered to Alliance member land trusts and partners, economics and community development and to individual members at the $250 level and above. If you are not a member, in southern Colorado. The lecture can be please email Leslie to receive a digital file of the calculator. found at www.lincolninst.edu/education/ education-coursedetail.asp?id=986.
www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 35 people & PLACES Connections
New Network Reaches Across Globe
WHEN LAURA JOHNSON LEFT MASS AUDUBON* AND BEGAN A BULLARD FELLOWSHIP AT HARVARD FOREST, Harvard University, for 2013–2014, she explored an idea suggested A Congress invitation proclaims: “People attending by Jim Levitt, a fellow at the Lincoln Institute of will represent land conservation organizations both Land Policy, director of the Program on Conservation large and small, from global NGOs to local volunteer Innovation at the Harvard Forest and former Mass initiatives. Now is the time to share what we know, Audubon board member: How do conservationists across continents, to accelerate the pace, quality and outside the United States use and adapt conservation effectiveness of private land conservation!” tools that have been developed over the years here? When “We do this for the intrinsic value of the world’s Peter Stein received the Kingsbury Browne fellowship natural and cultural resources,” says ILCN’s website, and award, his thoughts turned to the expanding global “and for their importance to the prosperity and well- land conservation movement as well (see page 27). And being of humankind, today and for generations to come.” since 2012, the Land Trust Alliance has been holding To learn more about ILCN, visit www.landconservation international roundtable meetings in conjunction with network.org. • its Rallies. Great minds converged and created the International Land Conservation Network (ILCN), a project of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, set to hold its first “congress” on October 19-21 in Berlin, Germany. Peer Learning Connects Johnson told Land Lines, Lincoln Institute’s magazine, Midwestern Land Trusts that through their different projects, “Jim, Peter and I came to the similar conclusion that many people around “WE’RE FILLING A NICHE. THE LAND TRUST ALLIANCE’S the globe shared a strong interest in connecting to each MIDWEST PEER LEARNING PROGRAM IS GAME CHANGING,” says other and to U.S. conservationists. This desire for a MaryKay O’Donnell, Midwest conservation manager for community of practice seemed like a remarkable opportu- the Alliance. “Most land trusts in the Midwest are isolated nity to help build capacity for privately protecting land.” from one another by long distances. This program brings Some objectives for ILCN’s first year include: land trust peers together to learn from one another. It’s • Developing and exchanging information, such as designed differently from a training session or a confer- mapping existing networks and active organizations ence—everyone has an opportunity to lead and share ideas to create a baseline that will help when measuring and expertise.” change/growth in the international private land Land trust staff members are invited to gather together conservation movement over time. in-person in one of four groups: executive directors, land • Building capacity by developing offerings for private protection/stewardship, fundraising/communications or land conservation practitioners and organizations community conservation. In addition to the bi-annual that will address basic to advanced topics to allow a gatherings, peer learning includes one-to-one site visits, continuum of learning. regular conference calls, online groups hosted on The Learning Center and individual coaching calls. The ILCN believes that by building capacity and empow- program was recently expanded and includes member ering voluntary private and civic land conservation, the land trusts in Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana and global land conservation movement will be strengthened, Chicago, Illinois. leading to more durable and effective resource protection. “It’s great to get in a room with peers, break bread The First Annual Congress of ILCN will assemble and share common experiences,” says Pete DeBoer, with practitioners, innovators and experts in land conservation the Land Conservancy of West Michigan.* “The time and restoration from around Europe as well as from North, commitment allows me to pull away from the day-to-day Central and South America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. of work to connect, share and learn from peers.”
36 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org Checking snake traps on the Red Hills field trip at Tall Timbers Research Station & Land Conservancy in Florida
REBECCA ZEROTH LAURA EKLOV Land protection and stewardship peers at Siena Retreat Center in Racine, Wisconsin This included checking snake traps (used Field Trips Connect for monitoring species) and dip-netting in a “Peer learning has become central to People to Land pond to examine animal and plant life. Midwest Program services,” adds Carolyn Connecting residents to their local landscape Waldron, Midwest director. “Bringing SNAKES AREN’T SLIMY AND CRAYFISH DO INDEED is critical to long-term conservation efforts together land trusts from different states PINCH. Families exploring wetlands and pine and it has been continually demonstrated provides valuable networking and deeper forests in the Red Hills, an ecologically rich that people will protect what they know and learning. As important, it provides space to region of north Florida and southwest Georgia, love. The Red Hills Awareness Initiative, an renew. We organize this program every two discovered a diversity of amphibians and outreach and education effort of Tall Timbers years in partnership with Gathering Waters reptiles during a hands-on conservation Research Station & Land Conservancy* offers and Heart of the Lakes, both land trust field trip. The outing was part of a Red Hills seasonal ecology field trips to promote learning state service centers.” spring field trip series on conservation lands. experiences for residents. Hiking, birding According to O’Donnell, once people Biologists Kim Sash and Pierson Hill provided trips and wildlife bio-blitzes, like the one led connect with each other they continue to numerous interactive opportunities for parents by Sash and Hill, connect people to their local network. “They no longer feel isolated.” • and children during the learning-based trek. landscape and further conservation education. •
director, Erik Glenn. West is now the Rocky Mountain regional director of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Ear to the Ground Jon Hoekstra is the new executive director of Mountains to Sound Will Shafroth is the new president and CEO of the Greenway Trust in Washington. National Parks Foundation. Prior to his work at In April The Warwick Conservancy, an all-volunteer conservation the Department of the Interior, Shafroth served as organization based in Warwick, New York, dissolved and transferred its executive director of Great Outdoors Colorado and responsibilities and commitments to the Orange County Land Trust.* the Colorado Conservation Trust and as chair of the Kansas Land Trust* thanks Ginny Moore for leading and serving the Land Trust Alliance and Resources Legacy Fund. organization for the past four years as executive director. She will continue California’s Eastern Sierra Land Trust* has hired to work with KLT as a consultant. Susanna Danner Susanna Danner, who moved from The Nature After leading California’s Big Sur Land Trust for more than 10 years, Conservancy* in Boise, Idaho, as its new land conservation program director. including a strategic refocusing to broaden community impact, Bill Leahy On June 1 the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust* said a fond will now lead the 48-year-old Maryland Environmental Trust, a statewide farewell to longtime leader Chris West, and hello to the new executive quasi-public entity.
* ACCREDITED LAND TRUST
www.landtrustalliance.org SAVINGland Fall 2015 37 inspired
JERRY AND MARCY MONKMAN, ECOPHOTOGRAPHY
Stonehouse Pond, one of the many beautiful places with “existence value,” was protected by the accredited Southeast Land Understanding Your Audience Trust of New Hampshire and its partners. or two days in April Land Trust Alliance that they exist untouched, even if those individuals never President Rand Wentworth spoke to classes at visit them. I think that environmentalists assume that Middlebury College as the Environmentalist- everyone appreciates the existence value of beautiful in-Residence, asking the students of Professor places, but they may be wrong. We need to teach (at a Michelle McCauley’s psychology class to send him their young age) what the impact of climate change will be Fideas on how to communicate with young people who in American cities and in the homes of the rich. It may are not currently interested in nature and environmental be harder to see these changes because the effects of issues. Here’s one of several great suggestions: climate change tend to affect poor people first, but it “So far it seems as though environmentalists have is not impossible (see the California drought). When emphasized climate change’s effects on far away places environmentalists are able to understand the values and of beauty, such as the Arctic or the Sahara Desert. For priorities of their audiences and tailor their argument to most environmentalists these places have ‘existence them, then perhaps the environmental cause will achieve value,’ meaning that people are comforted by the fact the salience it wants and deserves.”
38 Fall 2015 SAVINGland www.landtrustalliance.org CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING LAND CONSERVATION GROUPS from around the country for achieving accreditation and demonstrating they IOWA · Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust NEW HAMPSHIRE · Groton Conservation Trust meet rigorous quality standards and strive for continuous improvement. · Bur Oak Land Trust · Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust · Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation · Kestrel Land Trust · Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust · Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust · Monadnock Conservancy · Massachusetts Audubon Society KANSAS * · Society for the Protection of · Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust New Hampshire Forests · Kansas Land Trust · Sheriff's Meadow Foundation * · Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire NATIONAL · Placer Land Trust · Norfolk Land Trust · Sudbury Valley Trustees · Squam Lakes Conservation Society · Riverside Land Conservancy · Redding Land Trust KENTUCKY · The Trustees of Reservations and its · Upper Valley Land Trust · Ducks Unlimited and its affiliate, * affiliates, Hilltown Land Trust and Wetlands America Trust · Sacramento Valley Conservancy · Salem Land Trust · Bluegrass Conservancy · San Joaquin River Parkway and · Sharon Land Trust Massachusetts Land Conservation Trust · The Conservation Fund and its affiliate, · Louisville and Jefferson County · Wareham Land Trust NEW JERSEY Conservation Trust · Warren Land Trust Sustainable Conservation Environmental Trust · White Oak Land Conservation Society · D&R Greenway Land Trust · Save the Redwoods League · Weantinoge Heritage Land Trust · The Nature Conservancy * · Harding Land Trust · Sempervirens Fund · The Wilderness Land Trust LOUISIANA · Hunterdon Land Trust · Sequoia Riverlands Trust MICHIGAN FLORIDA · Monmouth Conservation Foundation · Shasta Land Trust · Land Trust for Louisiana * · Chikaming Open Lands ALABAMA · Alachua Conservation Trust ¹ · New Jersey Conservation Foundation · Sierra Foothill Conservancy · Chippewa Watershed Conservancy · Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast · The Land Conservancy of New Jersey ¹ · Freshwater Land Trust · Solano Land Trust MAINE · Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy · Conservation Trust for Florida · Land Trust of North Alabama · Sonoma Land Trust · Land Conservancy of West Michigan · Tall Timbers Research Station & · Androscoggin Land Trust · Weeks Bay Foundation · Tejon Ranch Conservancy · Leelanau Conservancy NEW MEXICO Land Conservancy · Bangor Land Trust · Tri-Valley Conservancy · Blue Hill Heritage Trust · Legacy Land Conservancy · New Mexico Land Conservancy ALASKA · Truckee Donner Land Trust · Boothbay Region Land Trust · Little Forks Conservancy · Santa Fe Conservation Trust · Wildlife Heritage Foundation GEORGIA · Michigan Nature Association · Taos Land Trust · Great Land Trust · Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust · Athens Land Trust · Cape Elizabeth Land Trust · North Oakland Headwaters Land · Kachemak Heritage Land Trust Conservancy · Southeast Alaska Land Trust COLORADO · Central Savannah River Land Trust · Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust NEW YORK · Chattahoochee Valley Land Trust · Coastal Mountains Land Trust · Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy * · Access Fund * · Six Rivers Land Conservancy · Agricultural Stewardship Association · Aspen Valley Land Trust · Georgia-Alabama Land Trust · Damariscotta River Association · Champlain Area Trails ARIZONA · Georgia Piedmont Land Trust · Forest Society of Maine · Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy * · Black Canyon Regional Land Trust ¹ * · Columbia Land Conservancy · Frenchman Bay Conservancy · Arizona Land and Water Trust · Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural · Mountain Conservation Trust of Georgia · Dutchess Land Conservancy ¹ · Georges River Land Trust · Desert Foothills Land Trust Land Trust · Oconee River Land Trust MINNESOTA · Genesee Land Trust · Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust · Colorado Open Lands · Southern Conservation Trust · Minnesota Land Trust · Genesee Valley Conservancy · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust ARKANSAS · Crested Butte Land Trust · St. Simons Land Trust * · Greene Land Trust · Kennebec Estuary Land Trust * · Douglas Land Conservancy · Hudson Highlands Land Trust · Northwest Arkansas Land Trust · Mahoosuc Land Trust MISSISSIPPI · Eagle Valley Land Trust HAWAI’I · Lake George Land Conservancy · Maine Coast Heritage Trust · Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain · Estes Valley Land Trust · Mianus River Gorge Preserve · Hawaiian Islands Land Trust · Medomak Valley Land Trust CALIFORNIA · La Plata Open Space Conservancy · Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy · Oceanside Conservation Trust of · Bear Yuba Land Trust MONTANA · Mohonk Preserve · Mesa Land Trust Casco Bay · Big Sur Land Trust ¹ IDAHO * · North Shore Land Alliance · Montezuma Land Conservancy · Orono Land Trust · Bitter Root Land Trust · California Rangeland Trust · Mountain Area Land Trust · Lemhi Regional Land Trust * · Five Valleys Land Trust · Open Space Institute and its affiliate, · Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust * Open Space Institute Land Trust · Center for Natural Lands Management ¹ · Palmer Land Trust · Palouse Land Trust * · Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association · Flathead Land Trust · Central Valley Farmland Trust · Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust ¹ · Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust · Gallatin Valley Land Trust · Orange County Land Trust · Vinalhaven Land Trust · Rensselaer Land Trust · Eastern Sierra Land Trust · San Isabel Land Protection Trust · Teton Regional Land Trust · Montana Land Reliance ¹ · Elkhorn Slough Foundation · Wood River Land Trust · Prickly Pear Land Trust · Rondout-Esopus Land Conservancy · Feather River Land Trust MARYLAND · Saratoga P.L.A.N. CONNECTICUT · Vital Ground Foundation · Land Conservancy of San Luis · American Chestnut Land Trust · Scenic Hudson and its affiliate, ILLINOIS · Colchester Land Trust · Eastern Shore Land Conservancy Scenic Hudson Land Trust Obispo County NEBRASKA · Land Trust for Santa Barbara County · Connecticut Farmland Trust · Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation · Potomac Conservancy · Thousand Islands Land Trust · Land Trust of Napa County · Granby Land Trust · Lake Forest Open Lands Association and · Nebraska Land Trust · Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust · Greenwich Land Trust its affiliate, Lake Forest Land Foundation · Westchester Land Trust · Land Trust of Santa Cruz County MASSACHUSETTS · Marin Agricultural Land Trust · Housatonic Valley Association · Openlands NEVADA · Western New York Land Conservancy * · Ashby Land Trust · Winnakee Land Trust · Northcoast Regional Land Trust · Joshua’s Tract Conservation · Buzzards Bay Coalition and its affiliate, · Nevada Land Trust · Northern California Regional Land Trust and Historic Trust INDIANA · Kent Land Trust Acushnet River Reserve · Pacific Forest Trust · Central Indiana Land Trust · Peninsula Open Space Trust · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
The mission of the Land Trust Accreditation Commission is to inspire excellence, promote Land Trust Accreditation Commission Staff public trust and ensure permanence in the conservation of open lands by recognizing land trust Heather Richards, Chair Elizabeth Crane-Wexler Katharine Roser Tammara Van Ryn, Executive Director organizations that meet rigorous quality standards and that strive for continuous improvement. Lawrence R. Kueter, Chair Emeritus Scott Dickerson Bruce Runnels Jennifer Brady-Connor, Program Manager Molly Doran, Vice Chair Thomas R. Duffus Ann Taylor Schwing Melissa Kalvestrand, Review Manager Daniel J. Cline, Secretary Jay Erickson Stephen Swartz Stacy Girmindl, Program Associate Jennifer Sims, Treasurer Karen Ferrell-Ingram Chris Vaughn Greg Good, Review Specialist For information on the land trust accreditation program: LANDTRUSTACCREDITATION.ORG Jamie Brown Cary F. Leptuck Valerie Roof, Review Specialist Marty Coleman-Hunt Anne Murphy Jessica Whittaker, Review Specialist IOWA · Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust NEW HAMPSHIRE · Bur Oak Land Trust · Groton Conservation Trust · Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust · Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation · Kestrel Land Trust · Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust · Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust · Monadnock Conservancy · Massachusetts Audubon Society KANSAS * · Society for the Protection of · Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust New Hampshire Forests · Kansas Land Trust · Sheriff's Meadow Foundation * · Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire · Sudbury Valley Trustees · Squam Lakes Conservation Society KENTUCKY · The Trustees of Reservations and its · Upper Valley Land Trust affiliates, Hilltown Land Trust and · Bluegrass Conservancy Massachusetts Land Conservation Trust · Louisville and Jefferson County · Wareham Land Trust NEW JERSEY Environmental Trust · White Oak Land Conservation Society · D&R Greenway Land Trust · Harding Land Trust LOUISIANA MICHIGAN · Hunterdon Land Trust · Land Trust for Louisiana · Monmouth Conservation Foundation * · Chikaming Open Lands · New Jersey Conservation Foundation · Chippewa Watershed Conservancy · The Land Conservancy of New Jersey ¹ MAINE · Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy · Androscoggin Land Trust · Land Conservancy of West Michigan NEW MEXICO · Bangor Land Trust · Leelanau Conservancy · Blue Hill Heritage Trust · Legacy Land Conservancy · New Mexico Land Conservancy · Boothbay Region Land Trust · Little Forks Conservancy · Santa Fe Conservation Trust · Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust · Michigan Nature Association · Taos Land Trust · Cape Elizabeth Land Trust · North Oakland Headwaters Land · Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust Conservancy NEW YORK · Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy · Coastal Mountains Land Trust * · Agricultural Stewardship Association · Damariscotta River Association · Six Rivers Land Conservancy · Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy · Champlain Area Trails * · Forest Society of Maine · Columbia Land Conservancy · Frenchman Bay Conservancy · Dutchess Land Conservancy · Georges River Land Trust MINNESOTA · Genesee Land Trust · Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust · Minnesota Land Trust · Genesee Valley Conservancy · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust * · Greene Land Trust · Kennebec Estuary Land Trust * MISSISSIPPI · Hudson Highlands Land Trust · Mahoosuc Land Trust · Lake George Land Conservancy · Maine Coast Heritage Trust · Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain · Mianus River Gorge Preserve · Medomak Valley Land Trust · Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy · Oceanside Conservation Trust of MONTANA · Mohonk Preserve Casco Bay * · North Shore Land Alliance · Orono Land Trust · Bitter Root Land Trust * · Five Valleys Land Trust · Open Space Institute and its affiliate, · Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust * Open Space Institute Land Trust · Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association · Flathead Land Trust · Gallatin Valley Land Trust · Orange County Land Trust · Vinalhaven Land Trust · Rensselaer Land Trust · Montana Land Reliance ¹ · Prickly Pear Land Trust · Rondout-Esopus Land Conservancy MARYLAND · Vital Ground Foundation · Saratoga P.L.A.N. · American Chestnut Land Trust · Scenic Hudson and its affiliate, · Eastern Shore Land Conservancy Scenic Hudson Land Trust NEBRASKA · Potomac Conservancy · Thousand Islands Land Trust · Nebraska Land Trust · Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust · Westchester Land Trust MASSACHUSETTS NEVADA · Western New York Land Conservancy * · Ashby Land Trust · Winnakee Land Trust · Buzzards Bay Coalition and its affiliate, · Nevada Land Trust Acushnet River Reserve
Land Trust Accreditation Commission Staff
Heather Richards, Chair Elizabeth Crane-Wexler Katharine Roser Tammara Van Ryn, Executive Director Lawrence R. Kueter, Chair Emeritus Scott Dickerson Bruce Runnels Jennifer Brady-Connor, Program Manager Molly Doran, Vice Chair Thomas R. Duffus Ann Taylor Schwing Melissa Kalvestrand, Review Manager Daniel J. Cline, Secretary Jay Erickson Stephen Swartz Stacy Girmindl, Program Associate Jennifer Sims, Treasurer Karen Ferrell-Ingram Chris Vaughn Greg Good, Review Specialist Jamie Brown Cary F. Leptuck Valerie Roof, Review Specialist Marty Coleman-Hunt Anne Murphy Jessica Whittaker, Review Specialist NORTH CAROLINA RHODE ISLAND WASHINGTON · Blue Ridge Conservancy · Aquidneck Land Trust · Bainbridge Island Land Trust · Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy · Block Island Conservancy · Blue Mountain Land Trust · Catawba Lands Conservancy · Sakonnet Preservation Association · Capitol Land Trust · Conservation Trust for North Carolina ¹ · Tiverton Land Trust · Chelan-Douglas Land Trust · Eno River Association · Columbia Land Trust · Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina SOUTH CAROLINA · Forterra · Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust · Great Peninsula Conservancy · LandTrust for Central North Carolina · Congaree Land Trust · Jefferson Land Trust · Land Trust for the Little Tennessee · Edisto Island Open Land Trust · Lummi Island Heritage Trust · New River Conservancy · Lowcountry Open Land Trust · Methow Conservancy · North Carolina Coastal Land Trust · Pee Dee Land Trust · Nisqually Land Trust · Piedmont Land Conservancy · Spartanburg Area Conservancy · North Olympic Land Trust · Southern Appalachian Highlands · Upstate Forever · PCC Farmland Trust Conservancy ¹ · San Juan Preservation Trust · Tar River Land Conservancy TENNESSEE · Skagit Land Trust · Land Trust for Tennessee · Whatcom Land Trust OHIO · Lookout Mountain Conservancy · Whidbey Camano Land Trust · Gates Mills Land Conservancy · Tennessee Parks & Greenways Foundation ¹ · Tecumseh Land Trust · Wolf River Conservancy * WEST VIRGINIA · Three Valley Conservation Trust · Cacapon and Lost Rivers Land Trust TEXAS OREGON · Bayou Land Conservancy WISCONSIN · Deschutes Land Trust · Galveston Bay Foundation · Bayfield Regional Conservancy · Greenbelt Land Trust · Green Spaces Alliance of South Texas · Caledonia Conservancy · Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust · McKenzie River Trust ¹ · Ice Age Trail Alliance · Southern Oregon Land Conservancy · Hill Country Conservancy · Kettle Moraine Land Trust · The Wetlands Conservancy · Hill Country Land Trust · Kinnickinnic River Land Trust · Pines and Prairies Land Trust · Mississippi Valley Conservancy · Texas Agricultural Land Trust PENNSYLVANIA · Natural Heritage Land Trust * · Texas Land Conservancy · Northwoods Land Trust · Allegheny Land Trust · Ozaukee Washington Land Trust · Bedminster Regional Land Conservancy UTAH · Tall Pines Conservancy · Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art · Chestnut Hill Historical Society · Summit Land Conservancy · ClearWater Conservancy · Utah Open Lands Conservation Association WYOMING · Countryside Conservancy · Jackson Hole Land Trust ¹ · Delaware Highlands Conservancy VERMONT · Wyoming Stock Growers Agricultural · Edward L. Rose Conservancy · Greensboro Land Trust Land Trust · French Creek Valley Conservancy · Lake Champlain Land Trust · Heritage Conservancy · Northeast Wilderness Trust ¹ · Lancaster County Conservancy ¹ As of July 2015 · Stowe Land Trust ¹ · Lancaster Farmland Trust · Vermont Land Trust Indicates Newly Accredited · Land Conservancy of Adams County * · Natural Lands Trust and its affiliate, ¹ Indicates Newly Renewed Montgomery County Lands Trust VIRGINIA Indicates Previously Renewed · North Branch Land Trust · Blue Ridge Land Conservancy · The Land Conservancy for · Land Trust of Virginia Southern Chester County · New River Land Trust · Tinicum Conservancy · Northern Neck Land Conservancy · Western Pennsylvania Conservancy · Northern Virginia Conservation Trust · Westmoreland Conservancy · Piedmont Environmental Council and · Willistown Conservation Trust its affiliate, Piedmont Foundation · Virginia Eastern Shore Land Trust PUERTO RICO · Williamsburg Land Conservancy · Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE 1660 L Street NW, Suite 1100 PAID Washington, DC 20036 Alexandria, VA Permit No. 975 www.landtrustalliance.org
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