Accreditation

The accreditation seal recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national standards for excellence, uphold the public trust and ensure that conservation efforts are permanent.

In December 2014, the Lyme Land Trust joined an elite group of Land Trusts from around the country that have been carefully vetted and certified to meet the highest standards of excellence.  As of February 2017 just over 25% of all land trusts in the United States are accredited.  Yet, according to a recent article in the News & Updates section of the Accreditation website (www.landtrustaccreditation.org):

  • Accredited land trusts have steadily grown and now steward more than 77 percent of conservation lands and easements held by all land trusts.
  • Accredited land trusts protected five times more land from 2010 to 2015 than land trusts that were not yet accredited.
  • Accredited land trusts also have stronger systems and more resources to steward and defend their conservation lands forever.
  • As a result, the public’s trust in land conservation has increased, helping to win support for federal, state and local conservation funding measures.

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission awards the seal to community institutions that demonstrate the ability to protect 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. For more information about accreditation please visit land trust accreditation.

Read the Lyme Land Trust press release  announcing their accreditation.

Photo credit: Linda Waters