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Denver, CO - The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, announced today that the Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT) has been awarded accredited status.
"Accredited land trusts meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever," said Commission Executive Director Tammara Van Ryn. "The accreditation seal lets the public know that the accredited land trust has undergone an extensive, external review of the governance and management of its organization and the systems and policies it uses to protect land."
"CCALT's accredited status demonstrates our commitment to permanent land conervation of Colorado's ranches and farms," says Chris West, CCALT's Executive Director. "Our land trust is a stronger organization today having gone through the rigorous accreditation program."
The Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust was the first land trust in the nation to be formed by an organiztion of mainstream livestock producers. To date, CCLT has partnered with landowners in the protection of more than 320,000 acres. CCALT holds more land conservation than any other organization in Colorado, preserving more than 200 family ranches and farms.
"Landowners are the reason why we are here, to preserve not only their lands, but their heritage and the lifeblood of our rural communities," said Bill Fales, CCALT's Board President. "Our success is not possible without the devotion of the ranching families that we have the honor of working with every day."
Land is America's most important and valuable resource. Conserving land helps ensure clean air and drinking water, food security, scenic landscapes and views, recreational places, and habitat for the diversity of life on earth. Across the country, local citizens and communities have come together to form land trusts to save the places they love. Community leaders in land trusts throughout the country have worked with willing landowners to save over 37 million acres of farms, forests, parks and places people care about. Strong, well-managed land trusts provide local communities with effective champions and caretakers of their critical land resources, and safeguard the land through the generations.
CCALT was awarded accreditation this February along with other land trusts from across the country. CCALT was one of 14 land trusts awarded accreditation this February, bringing the total of accredited land trusts in the nation to 53. These land trusts join the inaugural group of 39 land trusts awarded accreditation at a special ceremony in September 2008. Accredited land trusts are able 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.
The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, based in Saratoga Springs, NY, awards the accreditation seal to community institutions that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. The Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance established in 2006, is governed by a volunteer board of diverse land conservation and nonprofit management experts from around the country. The Alliance, of which CCALT is a member, is a national conservation group based in Washington, D.C. that works to save the places people love by strengthening conservation throughout America. More information on the accreditation program is available on the Commission's website, www.landtrustaccreditation.org. Please visit CCALT's website at www.ccalt.org.
"We are proud to display the accreditation seal. It is an honor to be one of the few accredited land trusts in the nation," said Chris West.
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Land trusts listed alphabetically by state or territory with year accredited in parentheses.
Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kentucky | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Montana | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | Ohio | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Puerto Rico | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming
Ducks Unlimited and its affiliate, Wetlands America Trust (2011)
The Nature Conservancy (2012)
The Wilderness Land Trust (2008)
Freshwater Land Trust (2009)
Land Trust of North Alabama (2013)
Weeks Bay Foundation (2009)
Great Land Trust (2012)
Desert Foothills Land Trust (2010)
Big Sur Land Trust (2013)
Bear Yuba Land Trust (2009)
California Rangeland Trust (2010)
Center for Natural Lands Management (2010)
Central Valley Farmland Trust (2008)
Eastern Sierra Land Trust (2011)
Land Trust for Santa Barbara County (2009)
Marin Agricultural Land Trust (2010)
Northern California Regional Land Trust (2009)
Pacific Forest Trust (2010)
Peninsula Open Space Trust (2008)
Placer Land Trust (2008)
Sacramento Valley Conservancy (2009)
San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust (2013)
Sempervirens Fund (2011)
Shasta Land Trust (2011)
Sonoma Land Trust (2013)
Tri-Valley Conservancy (2009)
Truckee Donner Land Trust (2013)
Wildlife Heritage Foundation (2009)
Aspen Valley Land Trust (2008)
Black Canyon Regional Land Trust (2010)
Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust (2009)
Colorado Open Lands (2008)
Crested Butte Land Trust (2012)
Douglas Land Conservancy (2013)
Eagle Valley Land Trust (2008)
Estes Valley Land Trust (2008)
La Plata Open Space Conservancy (2010)
Mesa Land Trust (2009)
Montezuma Land Conservancy (2010)
Mountain Area Land Trust (2012)
Palmer Land Trust (2010)
Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust (2010)
San Isabel Land Protection Trust (2009)
Connecticut Farmland Trust (2012)
Greenwich Land Trust (2012)
Joshua’s Tract Conservation and Historic Trust (2011)
Kent Land Trust (2010)
Redding Land Trust (2011)
Salem Land Trust (2009)
Alachua Conservation Trust (2010)
Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast (2010)
Conservation Trust for Florida (2012)
Tall Timbers Research Station & Land Conservancy (2009)
Athens Land Trust (2008)
Central Savannah River Land Trust (2009)
Mountain Conservation Trust of Georgia (2008)
Oconee River Land Trust (2009)
Hawaiian Islands Land Trust (2009)
Teton Regional Land Trust (2009)
Wood River Land Trust (2010)
Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation (2012)
Lake Forest Open Lands Association (2009)
Openlands (2013)
Central Indiana Land Trust (2012)
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (2011)
Bluegrass Conservancy (2013)
Blue Hill Heritage Trust (2013)
Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust (2012)
Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust (2012)
Coastal Mountains Land Trust (2008).
Forest Society of Maine (2009)
Mahoosuc Land Trust (2013)
Maine Coast Heritage Trust (2010)
Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association (2012)
Vinalhaven Land Trust (2012)
Potomac Conservancy (2010)
BTA/BOLT (2008)
Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust (2013)
Sippican Lands Trust (2008)
Sudbury Valley Trustees (2013)
The Trustees of Reservations and its affiliate, Massachusetts Land Conservation Trust (2010)
White Oak Land Conservation Society (2013)
Chikaming Open Lands (2008)
Chippewa Watershed Conservancy (2012)
Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (2009)
Land Conservancy of West Michigan (2012)
Leelanau Conservancy (2008)
Legacy Land Conservancy (2008)
Little Forks Conservancy (2010)
North Oakland Headwaters Land Conservancy (2012)
Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy (2012)
Minnesota Land Trust (2008)
Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain (2009)
Five Valleys Land Trust (2008)
Gallatin Valley Land Trust (2008)
Montana Land Reliance (2010)
Prickly Pear Land Trust (2012)
Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust (2012)
Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust (2009)
Monadnock Conservancy (2008)
Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire (2013)
Squam Lakes Conservation Society (2012)
Upper Valley Land Trust (2012)
D&R Greenway Land Trust (2012)
New Jersey Conservation Foundation (2013)
The Land Conservancy of New Jersey (2009)
Taos Land Trust (2012)
Agricultural Stewardship Association (2013)
Columbia Land Conservancy (2011)
Dutchess Land Conservancy (2009)
Genesee Land Trust (2013)
Genesee Valley Conservancy (2011)
Hudson Highlands Land Trust (2008)
Mianus River Gorge Preserve (2010)
Open Space Conservancy (Land Acquisition Affiliate of Open Space Institute) (2008)
Rensselaer Land Trust (2008)
Scenic Hudson, Inc. & Scenic Hudson Land Trust (2008)
Thousand Islands Land Trust (2009)
Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust (2011)
Westchester Land Trust (2008)
Winnakee Land Trust (2011)
Blue Ridge Conservancy (2013)
Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy (2008)
Catawba Lands Conservancy (2009)
Conservation Trust for North Carolina (2010)
Eno River Association (2010)
Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina (2010)
Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust (2013)
Land Trust for the Little Tennessee (2010)
National Committee for the New River (2011)
North Carolina Coastal Land Trust (2012)
Piedmont Land Conservancy (2010)
Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (2010)
Tecumseh Land Trust (2009)
Three Valley Conservation Trust (2012)
Deschutes Land Trust (2009)
Greenbelt Land Trust (2008)
McKenzie River Trust (2010)
Southern Oregon Land Conservancy (2013)
The Wetlands Conservancy (2012)
Allegheny Land Trust (2010)
Bedminster Regional Land Conservancy (2008)
Brandywine Conservancy (2008)
Chestnut Hill Historical Society (2011)
ClearWater Conservancy (2012)
Countryside Conservancy (2008)
Delaware Highlands Conservancy (2011)
E.L. Rose Conservancy (2013)
Heritage Conservancy (2008)
Lancaster County Conservancy (2009)
Lancaster Farmland Trust (2009)
Natural Lands Trust (2009) and its affiliate, Montgomery County Lands Trust (2011
North Branch Land Trust (2008)
The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County (2011)
Tinicum Conservancy (2009)
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (2012)
Willistown Conservation Trust (2008)
Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico (2012)
Aquidneck Land Trust (2009)
Sakonnet Preservation Association (2011)
Congaree Land Trust (2012)
Edisto Island Open Land Trust (2009)
Lowcountry Open Land Trust (2012)
Pee Dee Land Trust (2012)
Spartanburg Area Conservancy (2013)
Upstate Forever (2008)
Northern Prairies Land Trust (2009)
Land Trust for Tennessee (2009)
Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation (2010)
Bayou Land Conservancy (2012)
Green Spaces Alliance of South Texas (2013)
Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust (2010)
Hill Country Land Trust (2013)
Texas Agricultural Land Trust (2013)
Texas Land Conservancy (2011)
Summit Land Conservancy (2011)
Greensboro Land Trust (2009)
Lake Champlain Land Trust (2008)
Northeast Wilderness Trust (2009)
Stowe Land Trust (2010)
Vermont Land Trust (2012)
Blue Ridge Land Conservancy (2011)
Land Trust of Virginia (2009)
Northern Virginia Conservation Trust (2008)
Piedmont Environmental Council and its affiliate, Piedmont Foundation (2011)
Virginia Eastern Shore Land Trust (2011)
Bainbridge Island Land Trust (2013)
Chelan-Douglas Land Trust (2013)
Columbia Land Trust (2012)
Forterra (2008)
Jefferson Land Trust (2009)
Methow Conservancy (2012)
North Olympic Land Trust (2012)
San Juan Preservation Trust (2012)
Skagit Land Trust (2009)
Whatcom Land Trust (2012)
Whidbey Camano Land Trust (2012)
Cacapon and Lost Rivers Land Trust (2012)
Bayfield Regional Conservancy (2012)
Caledonia Conservancy (2012)
Kettle Moraine Land Trust (2012)
Kinnickinnic River Land Trust (2009)
Mississippi Valley Conservancy (2012)
Jackson Hole Land Trust (2009)
Wyoming Land Trust (2008)
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