Giving Credit where Accreditation is Earned

The Skagit Land Trust has joined an elite group of 78 Land trusts across America by receiving accreditation through the Land Trust Alliance.

According to the Land Trust Alliance:

Land Trust Standards and Practices are guidelines for the responsible operation of a land trust, which is run legally, ethically and in the public interest and conducts a sound program of land transactions and stewardship.

The Land Trust Alliance originally developed the standards and practices in 1989 at the urging of land trusts, which believe a strong land trust community depends on the credibility and effectiveness of all its members. Land Trust Standards and Practices was last revised in 2004.

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, provides independent verification of the 37 indicator practices from Land Trust Standards and Practices that show a land trust's ability to operate in an ethical, legal and technically sound manner and ensure the long-term protection of land in the public interest

Indicator practices are chosen based on the following criteria:

•Responsible governance of the organization
•Protection of the public interest with sound and sustainable land transactions and stewardship
•Ethical operations
•Accountability to donors and the public
•Compliance with all laws, such as IRC §170(h) and §501(c)(3)

Visit the Land Trust Alliance website to learn more about this program.
Visit the Skagit Land Trust to learn more about them and about joining.

The Skagit Land Trust along with the Jefferson Land Trust are the only two accredited land trusts in Washington State. Good job Skagt land trust-now go out there and save some more land!