Land Trust Standards and Practices FAQs

What are Land Trust Standards and Practices?

Last revised in 2017, Land Trust Standards and Practices are the ethical and technical guidelines for the responsible operation of a land trust. The Standards set 12 broad principles or standards. These standards are broken down into 59 practices and 188 practice elements, which describe the essential actions needed to fulfill the standards. You can read the full document here. They exist not to protect a minimum level of performance, but to make the entire land trust community aspire to excellence and continuous improvement. 

Who uses Land Trust Standards and Practices?

Land Trust Alliance member land trusts must adopt the Standards — meaning that they affirm these guidelines in principle and commit to putting them into effect.

How do land trusts benefit from the implementation of Land Trust Standards and Practices?

Land trusts that commit to these best practices know that for land conservation to succeed over the long term, we need to secure the public’s confidence and support. All land trusts must demonstrate effectiveness and credibility — otherwise the ones that fall short could undermine the whole conservation movement. 

Who benefits from Land Trust Standards and Practices?

The public, which benefits from more effective and efficient land trusts; the entire land trust community, which benefits from a commitment across the sector to excellence and continuous improvement; and individual land trusts, which commit to pursuing continuous improvement.

What is the relationship between accreditation and Land Trust Standards and Practices?

To earn accreditation, a land trust must demonstrate that it has implemented the Standards with a thorough verification of the accreditation indicator practices drawn from the Standards. Check out this infographic that explains how standards, practices, elements, accreditation indicators (adopted by the Alliance) and accreditation requirements (adopted by the Commission) fit together to build strong land trusts.

Who developed Land Trust Standards and Practices?

The Land Trust Alliance developed the Standards in 1989 at the urging of land trust practitioners who believed a strong land trust community depends on the credibility and effectiveness of all of its members and who understand that employing best practices is the surest way to lasting conservation.

How often are Land Trust Standards and Practices revised?

With the participation of the land trust community, the Alliance revised the Standards in 1993, 2001, 2004 and 2017 to reflect changes in land trust practices and regulations governing nonprofit organizations.

The Alliance, in partnership with the Land Trust Accreditation Commission and the land trust community, is continually assessing the Standards against the work that land trusts do and the challenges and opportunities they face. We anticipate that the next full revisions process will not occur for at least another several years.