National Land Trust Excellence Award
Conservation happens at many scales within the land conservation movement, which is comprised of staffed and all-volunteer land trusts working to strengthen land conservation across America. Recognizing that there are different means used to accomplish the goal of protecting land, we are proud to present two National Land Trust Excellence Awards.
The award will celebrate the dedication and passion of:
- All-volunteer land trusts defined as having no more than a combined equivalent of one part-time staff
- Staffed land trusts with the equivalent of one or more full-time staff
Each organization excels in one or more of the following areas:
Outstanding Initiative to Broaden Support for Land Conservation
Achieves excellence in engaging the broader community and using their conservation mission, skills, and resources to respond to broader public needs.
Outstanding Collaboration Initiative
Achieves shared conservation goals that involve multiple parties, disciplines or functions among land trusts and other partners.
Outstanding Communications, Education and Outreach Initiative
Creates innovative programming or outreach initiative that achieves significant impact on the conservation community and builds understanding and partnerships.
Nominations
Nominate a land trust for the National Land Trust Excellence Award here.
Award Recipient
Every year the recipient(s) of this prestigious award are celebrated during the Welcoming Dinner at Rally: The National Land Conservation Conference, with a short video featuring the organization’s conservation impact. A basic Rally registration and two Welcoming Dinner tickets are complimentary.
Past Award Recipients
- 2021: Tewksbury Land Trust (NJ, all-volunteer) | Wood River Land Trust (ID, staffed)
- 2020: Land Trust for Tennessee
- 2019: Sonoma Land Trust (CA)
- 2018: Newtown Forest Association (CT, all-volunteer) | Shirley Heinze Land Trust (IN, staffed)
- 2017: Groton Open Space Association (CT, all-volunteer) | Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (staffed)
- 2016: Oblong Land Conservancy and Putnam County Land Trust (NY, all-volunteer) | Arizona Land & Water Trust (AZ, staffed)
- 2015: Kent Land Trust (CT, all-volunteer) | Openlands (IL, staffed)
- 2014: Gates Mills Land Conservancy (OH, all-volunteer) | Bristol Bay Heritage Land Trust (AK, staffed)
- 2013: Alachua Conservation Trust (FL)
- 2012: Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (MI) and Leelanau Conservancy (MI)
- 2011: Scenic Hudson (NY)
- 2010: Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy (MI)
- 2009: Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (NH)
- 2008: Little Compton Agricultural Conservancy Trust (RI)
- 2007: Coalition for Buzzards Bay – Bay Lands Center (MA)
Questions
For additional information on the criteria for the National Land Trust Excellence Award, please email awards@lta.org.