We have invited the Land Trust Alliance to contribute two articles to this issue of our E-newsletter:
- One Alliance, Many Communities provides an overview of the Alliance’s work.
- Nurturing a Conservation Ethic: Back to School is a great primer on the concept of community conservation as it applies to connecting school-age kids to the land by providing outdoor classrooms.
Land Trust Alliance President Andrew Bowman at Westcott Bay Shellfish Farm in September 2017
But first, who or what is the Land Trust Alliance? As you may know, it’s a national land conservation organization that supports and represents more than 1,000 member land trusts across the country, including the San Juan Preservation Trust. The Alliance’s behind-the-scenes work is indispensable: Much of what we and our fellow land trusts do would be far more difficult—or even impossible—without its policy work and advocacy in Washington, D.C., the rigorous standards and practices for land trusts that it has developed, and the great resources for education and training that it offers.
The Alliance created, and then spun off as independent programs, both the Land Trust Accreditation Commission and Terrafirma, the insurance program that helps land trusts defend their conserved lands from legal challenge. SJPT (now accredited twice) has greatly benefited from both of these programs.
In short, the Alliance has got our back. So we’re encouraging our board and staff members, as well as you, our members, to support the Land Trust Alliance as an expression of your passion for conservation.
We will be bringing you more articles about the Alliance and its work in coming newsletters. Our collaborative effort will culminate in May, when Land Trust Alliance President Andrew Bowman will be the featured speaker at the Preservation Trusts’ 40th Annual Meeting. Hope to see you there!