Your local Land Trust recently had its accreditation renewed by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance. 

"This achievement demonstrates our commitment to doing the best conservation possible at the highest standards," says Jim Daus, executive director of EVLT. "We are especially pleased that the Commission awarded us renewal without identifying any expectations for improvement, giving us a flawless report."

Horn Ranch Conservation Easement

EVLT was awarded renewed accreditation this August and is one of only 280 land trusts from across the country that are now accredited. Accredited land trusts are authorized to display a seal indicating to the public that they meet national standards for excellence, uphold the public trust, and ensure that conservation efforts are permanent. The seal is a mark of distinction in land conservation.

"EVLT is one of the first land trusts to achieve renewed accreditation, a significant achievement for the land trust and significant major milestone for the accreditation program. They are an important member of the 280 accredited land trusts that protect more than half of the 20,645,165 acres currently owned in fee or protected by a conservation easement held by a land trust," said Commission Executive Director Tammara Van Ryn. "Accreditation renewal, which must be completed every five years, provides the public with an assurance that accredited land trusts continue to meet exceedingly high standards for quality."

Each land trust that achieved renewed accreditation submitted extensive documentation and underwent a rigorous review. "Through accreditation renewal, land trusts are part of an important evaluation and improvement process that verifies their operations continue to be effective, strategic, and in accordance with strict requirements," said Van Ryn. "Accredited organizations have engaged citizen conservation leaders and improved systems for ensuring that their conservation work is permanent."

According to the Land Trust Alliance, conserving land helps ensure clean air and drinking water; safe, healthy food; scenic landscapes and views; recreational places; and habitat for the diversity of life on earth. In addition to health and food benefits, conserving land increases property values near greenbelts, saves tax dollars by encouraging more efficient development, and reduces the need for expensive water filtration facilities. Across the country, citizens and communities have come together to form more than 1,700 land trusts to save the places they love. Community leaders in land trusts throughout the country have worked with willing landowners to save over 47 million acres of farms, forests, parks and places people care about, including land transferred to public agencies and protected via other means. Strong, well-managed land trusts provide local communities with effective champions and caretakers of their critical land resources, and while safeguarding the land through the generations. 

Congress is currently considering making the Conservation Easement Tax Incentive permanent.  This tax incentive allows for increased deductibility of conservation easement donations by private land owners.  It is an important tool used by EVLT and can often be the deciding factor for those of modest means being able to permanently conserve their land.  If this incentive goes away it is clear that less land will be saved here in Eagle County.  The House has passed the "America Gives More Act" which includes the Conservation Easement Tax Incentive, but its passage in the Senate is still an open question.

You can help by contacting your senator and asking them to support Senate bill 526.  Let them know how important it is to you that local ranching and open space be preserved.  Not sure what to say?  Check out these talking points by the Land Trust Alliance.