Summary Timeline

1982

• Land Trust Exchange formed in Boston

−Incorporated - February 22
−First Meeting - March 31
–Tax-Exempt Status Received - July 2

• Allan Spader named executive director
• First issue of Exchange published

1983

• Ben Emory named executive director; office moved to Bar Harbor, Maine

• Land Trust Exchange urged land trusts to comment on IRS draft regulations on the deductibility of easements
• First regional conference held in Wisconsin

1984

• Published our first book, Appraising Easements, in cooperation with the National Trust for Historic Preservation
• Exchange featured several articles on how land trusts were beginning to use computers to achieve greater productivity
• Initiated first-ever national survey of conservation easement programs, attempting to document all publicly and privately held conservation easements in the country; results published in 1985

1985

• First Rally held in Washington, D.C.

• National Directory of Local and Regional Land Conservation Organizations issued, showing 535 land trusts protecting 500,000 acres

1986

• 1986-Federal Tax Law of Conservation Easements published by the Land Trust Exchange and Stephen J. Small

1987

• Jean Hocker named president; office moved to Alexandria, Virginia

1988

• First edition of The Conservation Easement Handbook published (revised in 2005)

1989

• Land Trust Standards and Practices created

1990

• Name changed to Land Trust Alliance; office moved to Washington, D.C.
• Training and regional services plan unveiled

1991

• Conservation Easement Stewardship Guide published

1993

• Land Trust Standards and Practices Guidebook published
• First Land Trust Alliance field office established in New York

1994

• Launched database of model documents and technical resources to better respond to 2,000 information requests received annually

1995

• First Northwest regional conference held in Troutdale, Oregon

1997

• First Land Trust Alliance public website launched

1998

• The Alliance, in partnership with The Conservation Fund, introduced the Land Conservation Leadership Program

2001

• The New York Times featured lead story on results of the 2000 National Land Trust Census
• Alliance convened land trust partners to increase pace of conservation in Chicago region
• Northern Rockies Land Conservation Planning Workshop held in Bozeman, Montana
• LTAnet launched, first online library of land conservation information for member land trusts

2002

• Rand Wentworth hired as president
• Lake Superior Land Trust Partnership held its first meeting

2004

• Maine Coast Protection Initiative conceived
• Land Trust Standards and Practices revised with input from land trust community
• First million dollar grant awarded (Doris Duke Foundation) to advance training and accreditation

2005

• Joint Committee on Taxation recommended eliminating federal tax incentives for conservation easements; Alliance united land trusts in campaign to save incentives

2006

• Alliance-led coalition won new federal law providing significant new tax incentives for conservation
• National Land Trust Census featured on front page of USA Today
• New York State tax credit passed through a joint effort among the Alliance and New York land trusts
• Land Trust Accreditation Commission formed
• Standards and Practices Curriculum developed
• Alliance creates a National Council

2007

• The Learning Center launched, providing online access to the Standards and Practices Curriculum and multiple conservation resources
• 20th Rally held October 3 - 6
• Twenty-two land conservation organizations selected for national accreditation pilot program

2008

• Exchange becomes Saving Land magazine
• Land trust excellence programs initiated to increase capacity
• Inaugural group of 39 land trusts accredited
• With guidance from the newly formed Conservation Defense Council, Alliance begins development of a Conservation Defense Clearinghouse, fund and network

2009

• Multi-course Standards and Practices Curriculum made available online and in print

2010

• Piloted new Leadership Training Program
• Won renewal in Congress of the enhanced federal tax incentive for conservation easement donations through 2011

2011

• 2010 Land Trust Census Report released showing a gain of 10 million protected acres in five years; local, state and national land trusts saved a total of 47 million acres
• Organized Terrafirma Risk Retention Group LLC, a charitable risk pool owned by participating land trusts that insures its members against the legal costs of defending conservation

2012

• 158 land trusts accredited
• First-ever Land Trust Lobby Day held in Washington, D.C.
• July 2 marks the 30th anniversary of the Land Trust Alliance

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