Photo credit: Mike MeltonStrong Commitment to Public Trust and Conservation Excellence
One thing that unites us as a nation is land: Americans strongly support saving the open spaces they love. Since 1987, Capitol Land Trust, has been doing just that for the people of southwest Washington. Now Capitol Land Trust has renewed its land trust accreditation – proving once again that, as part of a network of over 400 accredited land trusts across the nation, it is committed to professional excellence and to maintaining the public’s trust in its conservation work.
“Embracing the rigorous accreditation renewal process is just another example of Capitol Land Trust’s ongoing commitment to permanent land protection,” said Dave Winter, Executive Director. “By meeting the highest national standards for excellence and conservation permanence, we can ensure that special places—such as Bayshore Preserve and Darlin Creek Preserve—will be protected for generations to come.”
Capitol Land Trust provided extensive documentation and was subject to a comprehensive third-party evaluation prior to achieving this distinction. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission awarded renewed accreditation, signifying its confidence that Capitol Land Trust’s lands will be protected forever. Accredited land trusts now steward almost 20 million acres – equal to about half the size of Washington State.
Capitol Land Trust has conserved over 6,000 acres of land, including 15 miles of Puget Sound shoreline. Several of their preserves are open to the public for walking and wildlife viewing, and they partner with schools and youth organizations to help kids get more connected to the natural world.
“It is exciting to recognize Capitol Land Trust’s continued commitment to national standards by renewing this national mark of distinction,” said Tammara Van Ryn, executive director of the Commission. “Donors and partners can trust the more than 400 accredited land trusts across the country are united behind strong standards and have demonstrated sound finances, ethical conduct, responsible governance, and lasting stewardship.”
Capitol Land Trust is one of 1,363 land trusts across the United States according to the Land Trust Alliance’s most recent National Land Trust Census. A complete list of accredited land trusts and more information about the process and benefits can be found at www.landtrustaccreditation.org.
About Capitol Land Trust
At Capitol Land Trust, we envision a future for southwest Washington where people, animals, and natural habitats thrive because the community — private citizens, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies — has invested in conservation of our natural places and resources.
Our goal is to ensure that our region is a place with clean water to drink and clean air to breathe; a place with healthy populations of native fish and wildlife; a place where the economy is robust, sustainable, and stronger because people want to live and work here; a place where the natural environment inspires curiosity and hope for the people who live here.
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. For more, visit 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.
The Alliance’s leadership serves the entire land trust community—our work in the nation’s capital represents the policy priorities of land conservationists from every state; our education programs improve and empower land trusts from Maine to Alaska; and our comprehensive vision for the future of land conservation includes new partners, new programs and new priorities. Connect with us online at www.landtrustalliance.org.