Georges River Land Trust Earns National Accreditation

Accreditation Awarded by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission

Rockland, Maine - Georges River Land Trust has achieved land trust accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance.

“We are very excited and honored to be receive this national recognition,” said Jim Robbins, Board President of Georges River Land Trust. “We are so grateful to our members and volunteers who helped us reach this well-earned milestone. This is a tremendous accomplishment for the Georges River Land Trust.”

Georges River Land Trust, based in Rockland, ME, has been working to conserve the ecosystems and traditional heritage of the Georges River watershed region through permanent land protection, stewardship, education, and outdoor experiences for over a quarter of a century. Accomplishments include more than 3,400 acres conserved and 50 miles of trails created in 14 towns along the St. George River.

Georges River Land Trust was awarded accreditation this December and is one of only 285 land
trusts from across the country that has been awarded accreditation since the fall of 2008. Each accredited land trust must submit extensive documentation and undergo a rigorous review. This review process honors only land trusts with the most streamlined operations and effective land conservation. Accredited land trusts are authorized 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.

“This round of accreditation decisions represents another significant milestone for the accreditation program; the 285 accredited land trusts account for three quarters of the 20,645,165 acres currently owned in fee or protected by a conservation easement held by a land trust,” said Commission Executive Director Tammara Van Ryn. “Accreditation provides the public with an assurance that, at the time of accreditation, land trusts meet high standards for quality and that the results of their conservation work are permanent.”

According to the Land Trust Alliance, conserving land helps ensure clean air and drinking water; safe, healthy food; 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 more than 1,700 land trusts to save the places they love. Community leaders in land trusts throughout the country have worked with willing landowners to save over 47 million acres of farms, forests, parks and places people care about. Recent Georges River Land Trust projects include permanent conservation of over 200 acres of land in South Thomaston, more than six miles of new trails, and a partnership with Colby College and the Kohler Foundation to conserve the Cushing property and artwork of Maine artist Bernard Langlais.

“The accreditation process has significantly enhanced our ability to ensure conservation in perpetuity. We all feel very proud and trust it will provide a high level of confidence for our community,” said Gail Presley, Executive Director of the Georges River Land Trust. “Strong, community supported land trusts like Georges River serve our residents as effective caretakers of our critical natural resources, and safeguard the land for future generations.”

The Georges River Land Trust's mission is to conserve the ecosystems and traditional heritage of the Georges River watershed region through permanent land protection, stewardship, education, and outdoor experiences. For information on the Land Trust please call 594-5166 or visit GeorgesRiver.org.

About the Land Trust Accreditation Commission
The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, based in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., awards the accreditation seal to community institutions that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. The Commission, established in 2006 as an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, is governed by a volunteer board of diverse land conservation and nonprofit management experts from around the country. See a complete list of all recently accredited land trusts online at http://www.landtrustaccreditation.org/newsroom/press-releases. More information on the accreditation program is available on the Commission’s website, www.landtrustaccreditation.org.

About The Land Trust Alliance

The Land Trust Alliance, of which Georges River Land Trust is a member, is a national conservation group that works to save the places people love by strengthening conservation throughout America. It works to increase the pace and quality of conservation by advocating favorable tax policies, training land trusts in best practices and working to ensure the permanence of conservation in the face of continuing threats. The Alliance publishes Land Trust Standards and Practices and provides financial and administrative support to the Commission. It has established an endowment to help ensure the success of the accreditation program and keep it affordable for land trusts of all sizes to participate in accreditation. More information can be found at www.landtrustalliance.org.