Blue Mountain Land Trust renews its Land Trust Accreditation
One thing that unites us as a nation is land: Americans strongly support saving the open spaces they love. Since 1999, the Blue Mountain Land Trust has been doing just that for the people of Southeastern Washington and Northeastern Oregon.
In August, the Blue Mountain Land Trust renewed its land trust accreditation – proving again that, as part of a network of accredited land trusts across the nation, it is committed to professional excellence and to maintaining the public's trust in its conservation work.
"There are over 1,300 land trusts in our nation, but only 443 have achieved accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission," said Land Trust President Linda Herbert. "I am proud of Blue Mountain Land Trust's re-accreditation, building on the hard work of earlier board and staff members, including Tara Lord and Tom Riley. It speaks to our diligence, transparency, and professionalism as we work to preserve and protect the lands of the Blue Mountain Region."
The Blue Mountain 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 the Blue Mountain Land Trust's lands will be protected forever. Accredited land trusts now steward almost 20 million acres – the size of Denali, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Everglades, and Yosemite National Parks combined.
"It is exciting to recognize the Blue Mountain Land Trust's continued commitment to national standards by renewing this national mark of distinction," said Melissa Kalvestrand, executive director of the Commission. "Donors and partners can trust the more than 400 accredited land trusts across the country that are united behind strong standards and have demonstrated sound finances, ethical conduct, responsible governance, and lasting stewardship."
The Blue Mountain 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.
Header image by Bill Rodgers