Awarded Second Five-Year Term as One of Nation’s Top Land Trusts
Friday Harbor, Washington – At a time of political turmoil, one thing is clear and consistent: Americans strongly support saving the open spaces they love. Since 1979, the San Juan Preservation Trust has been doing just that for people who love the San Juan Islands of Washington state. And, since 2012, it has been doing so as an accredited land trust.
The Land Trust Accreditation Commission recently announced that the Preservation Trust has been awarded a renewal of its accreditation for a second five-year period.
With this renewed mark of distinction, “the San Juan Preservation Trust has made an important commitment to excellence, trust, and permanence in land conservation,” the Commission said in its commendation.
The San Juan Preservation Trust is proud to be part of a growing network of 389 accredited land trusts, out of a total of 1,363 land trusts nationwide (according to the most recent National Land Trust Census).
“We are pleased that the Accreditation Commission has re-affirmed our status as one of the nation’s most distinguished land trusts,” said Tim Seifert, executive director of the San Juan Preservation Trust. “With more than 300 properties under our protection, we continue to be among the most prolific land trusts in the country. It hasn’t been easy to adhere to the Accreditation Commission’s meticulous standards amidst this rapid growth, but we are gratified by their vote of confidence in our work.”
“Applying for initial accreditation back in 2012 was an important milestone for the San Juan Preservation Trust,” said Thor Hanson, president of the Preservation Trust’s board of trustees. “Re-accreditation will further strengthen the organization as we hone our goals and priorities for the next five years and beyond.”
A complete list of accredited land trusts and more information about the process and benefits are detailed at www.landtrustaccreditation.org.
About the San Juan Preservation Trust
Founded by a group of island citizens in 1979, the San Juan Preservation Trust is a private, nonprofit, membership-based land trust dedicated to helping people and communities conserve land in the San Juan Islands of Washington State. The Preservation Trust has permanently protected more than 300 properties, 47 miles of shoreline and 17,000 acres on 20 islands, including land now managed as public parks, nature preserves, wildlife habitat, and working farms and forests.
The Preservation Trust is governed by an 19-member volunteer board of trustees and a nine-person staff. Offices are located in Friday Harbor (on San Juan Island). Financial support comes from the voluntary contributions of more than 2,000 private individuals, families, and foundations. The Preservation Trust is not affiliated with any government agency and does not receive any tax revenue. Connect with us online at https://sjpt.org/.
About the Land Trust Accreditation Commission
The Land Trust Accreditation Commission inspires excellence, promotes public trust and ensures permanence in the conservation of open lands by recognizing organizations that meet rigorous quality standards and strive for continuous improvement. The Commission, established in 2006 as an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, is governed by a volunteer board of diverse land conservation and nonprofit management experts. More information about the Commission and the full list of accredited land trusts is available at www.landtrustaccreditation.org.
About the Land Trust Alliance
Founded in 1982, the Land Trust Alliance is a national land conservation organization that works to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America. The Alliance represents 1,000 member land trusts supported by more than 200,000 volunteers and 4.6 million members nationwide. The Alliance is based in Washington, D.C., and operates several regional offices. More information about the Alliance is available at www.landtrustalliance.org.