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What's New

Michigan ACE II: Applications Being Accepted through February 29, 2012

The Land Trust Alliance and its partner, Heart of the Lakes Center for Land Conservation, are happy to announce that applications to receive advancement services under the Advancing Conservancy Excellence (ACE) program are now being accepted from Michigan land conservancies through February 29, 2012. This program will provide:  Guided Standards and Practices Assessments, implementation planning, mentoring, and small grants for land conservancies preparing to apply for accreditation within the next three years. View more information and download the application.

Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program: Application Period Extended through February 29, 2012

The Land Trust Alliance and its partners, Gathering Waters Conservancy and Heart of the Lakes Center for Land Conservation Policy, are pleased to announce our Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program to encourage Michigan and Wisconsin land trust and conservancy people to connect, learn, share information and resources, support and mentor each other.  We will provide the structure through the Michigan Advancing Conservancy Excellence (ACE) program and Wisconsin Land Trust Excellence and Advancement Program (LEAP).  You will provide the expertise.  Read the full announcement. Download a copy of the application.

Wisconsin LEAP program announces Universal Services and Grant Application

The Land Trust Alliance and its partner, Gathering Waters Conservancy, are pleased to announce an open application round for LEAP services for Wisconsin Land Trusts. All Wisconsin land trusts can apply for one of the following: a Guided Standards and Practices Assessment, a mentoring project, or a small grant. The program is intended to provide resources to help land trusts to LEAP to the next level of excellence. The Land Trust Excellence and Advancement program (LEAP) is accepting applications through February 29, 2012. Learn more or download the application.

Welcome Carolyn Waldron, new Midwest Director

Ms. Waldron comes to the Alliance with over 25 years of experience at the state, regional, and national levels in natural resources conservation and advocacy. Read the full announcement.

The Coalition of Ohio Land Trusts Website

The Coalition of Ohio Land Trusts (COLT) and the Land Trust Alliance are pleased to announce the launch of the new COLT website at: www.ohiolandtrusts.org.  Find out more about the Coalition of Ohio Land Trusts.

Strategic Conservation Planning: Protecting Freshwater Resources in the Great Lakes Basin

Download this report to discover how planning can help to better protect our land and water, learn about how land trusts involved their communities, read about one effort to develop a plan for a top priority project area, find out about a statewide initiative to identify priority lands, and learn how one land trust identified properties throughout their service area and then quantified the financial resources they’ll need to protect the top priorities. Download full report. (PDF, 15.7MB)

How We Help

• Chicago Plan II is a land conservation capacity-building program of assessment, training, evaluation and networking.  The program provides for both individual organizational development services as well as facilitation of collaborative land conservation efforts.  Find out more about this program.

• Indiana Land Trust Advancement Program. This 3-year program in Indiana provides the state's land trusts with training, organizational growth services, and technical assistance to help them upgrade their practices, develop sustainable operational and financial structures, and prepare for accreditation review.  Program description.
• Michigan Advancing Conservancy Excellence Program is a comprehensive, 3-year program in Michigan will help transform the State's land conservancies into a high-performing, sustainable, and cohesive conservation community by providing organizations with the training, knowledge, and capacity required to be well-positioned for accreditation and sustainable for future generations.  Find out more about this program.

• The Upper Mississippi River Land Trust Excellence Program is a comprehensive, two-year program designed to strengthen the capacity, expertise and conservation impact of land trusts operating within a 7 state region of the Upper Mississippi River Basin.  Our primary goal is to build land trust capacity to help improve water quality through land conservation and restoration, thereby enhancing the resilience of the Mississippi River and its headwaters.  Learn more about this program.

• Wisconsin Land Trust Excellence and Advancement Program (LEAP). The Land Trust Alliance and Gathering Waters Conservancy have a common goal: we want to help land trusts achieve excellence.  We have teamed up to deliver a coordinated and intensive multi-year program of services and support for Wisconsin land trusts.   Learn more about this program.

• Market for Chicago Region Resources.  Publication with information and links to land conservation experts and services for Chicago region land trusts. Download

Contact Us

Carolyn Waldron, Midwest Director
Phone: (269) 324-1683

MaryKay O'Donnell, Midwest Conservation Manager
Phone: (269) 352-7032

Laura Eklov, Midwest Program Coordinator
Phone: (269) 324-1683

Miko Dargitz, Midwest Program Assistant
Phone: (269) 324-1683

Johanna Garsenstein, Chicago Project Manager
Phone: (773) 957-9919