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Partnering with Accredited Land Trusts

Reaching conservation goals, together.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Look for the Seal

Having an accredited land trust in your community means you have a strong land conservation partner. You may be a landowner considering a conservation easement who wants to protect your land’s legacy. Or a community investor who prioritizes lasting impact. Or just someone who wants conservation to make a real difference for people and nature. Watch and learn what it means to be an accredited land trust.

CONSERVATION EXCELLENCE

Accredited Land Trusts are Verified

Earning the award of accreditation means:

  • The land trust is well led and managed. Leaders set clear goals, carefully maintain written records, and act ethically.

  • The land trust has verified practices and controls to ensure financial sustainability and accountability.

  • The land trust is disciplined in acquiring land and conservation easements. Leaders ensure the presence of conservation values and legal protections.

  • The land trust effectively monitors conservation easements to make sure these legal agreements are being followed on the ground and inspects and manages its conservation fee properties.

How Land Trusts are Evaluated

The following overview gives you a sense of the rigorous evaluation process an accredited land trust goes through to earn your trust and to protect cherished lands forever. The Commission assesses land trust applicants across four crucial areas: governance, finance, transactions, and stewardship.

Good governance ensures that a land trust is operating properly and transparently. The Accreditation Requirements for governance evaluate a land trust’s board organization, operations, and their ability to make responsible decisions. The Commission verifies compliance in the following areas:

  • Organizational Documents

  • Board Structure and Operations

  • Board Meetings

  • Strategic Goals

  • Conflicts of Interest and Other Policies

A strong financial foundation and ongoing financial management help ensure the promise of perpetuity. The Accreditation Requirements for finance evaluate that a land trust has clear financial procedures, strong fiscal oversight by the board, accurate financial reports and appropriately uses donor moneys. The Commission verifies compliance in the following areas:

  • Financial Records

  • Board Oversight

  • Gift Acknowledgement & Donor Restrictions

  • Internal Controls

  • Stewardship and Defense Funding

  • Insurance

Conservation property transactions need to be properly completed to ensure that conservation values will be protected forever. Accreditation Requirements for transactions evaluate that land trusts complete and manage complex transactions, comply with tax code requirements, and that they develop and maintain necessary documentation. The Commission verifies compliance in the following areas:

  • Project Due Diligence

  • Project Review and Approval

  • Conservation Easement & Fee Title Deeds

  • Baseline Documentation Reports

  • Tax Deduction

  • Recordkeeping

Land trusts must practice responsible stewardship of conservation properties to uphold the promise of perpetuity, meet legal requirements for being a qualified holder, and to maintain its reputation in its community. The Commission verifies compliance in the following areas:

  • Conservation Easement Monitoring & Conservation

  • Property Inspections

  • Conservation Property Management Plans

  • Conservation Easement Enforcement & Amendment Policies

  • Conservation Easement Amendments & Extinguishments

  • Conservation Easement Enforcement & Conservation Property Ownership  Challenges

  • Conservation Easement Stewardship Records

Working with Accredited Land Trusts

Donors, agencies, foundations, and funders work with accredited land trusts in a variety of ways. Below are examples of how programs have considered accredited status when working with land trusts.

“We are continually amazed at the conservation outcomes resulting from Cornell Land Trust Grant Awards, and the creativity and ingenuity brought to the table by land trusts who strive to attain such commendable stewardship goals. The projects put forth by accredited land trusts have helped us engage donors to significantly scale the grant program and ultimately provide more funding for land trusts who wish to incorporate birds and bird conservation into their land conservation mission.”
Sara Barker, Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative Program Leader, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Learn more about Accreditation

Keep Exploring

What is Accreditation?

The accreditation seal is a mark of distinction in land conservation. It is awarded to land trusts meeting the highest national standards for excellence and conservation permanence.

Learn More

Why Accreditation Matters

The refrain, “It was challenging, but it was worth it,” is something we hear often at the Commission.

Learn More

Discover an Accredited Land Trust Near You

Looking to connect with an accredited land trust in your region? Search the Commission's accredited land trust database.

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