San Juan Preservation Trust has earned national accreditation. Photo courtesy of Elli Blaine.
Accreditation Awarded by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission
From the San Juan Preservation Land Trust
The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, announced this week that the San Juan Preservation Trust has been awarded national accredited status.
With this news, the Preservation Trust joins a prestigious group of 157 other land trusts (out of 1,700 nationally) that have achieved this distinction since this new accreditation program was launched in the fall of 2008.
“Accredited land trusts meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever,” said Commission Executive Director Tammara Van Ryn. “The accreditation seal lets the public know that the accredited land trust has undergone an extensive, external review of the governance and management of its organization and the systems and policies it uses to protect land.”
“With 33 years of history and over 270 properties under our protection, the accreditation application process turned out to be a herculean effort for us,” said Tim Seifert, executive director of the San Juan Preservation Trust. “But as our staff revisited old project files and as our board debated our policies and priorities, it quickly became evident that this was exactly what we needed to do to ensure the long-term viability of our projects and our organization.”
The National Land Trust seal
The San Juan Preservation Trust may now display the land trust accreditation seal, a mark of distinction that indicates to the public that the organization meets the highest national standards for excellence, upholds the public trust and ensures that conservation efforts are permanent.
“Receiving this seal of approval from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission is really just the beginning of a perpetual responsibility,” said Steve McKeon, the president of the Preservation Trust’s board of trustees. “This should help to assure everyone that supports the San Juan Preservation Trust that the conservation work we’re doing today is truly positioned to stand the test of time.”
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. More information on the accreditation program is available on the Commission’s website, www.landtrustaccreditation.org. More information on the Alliance is available at www.landtrustalliance.org.
ABOUT THE SAN JUAN PRESERVATION TRUST
Founded in 1979, the San Juan Preservation Trust (www.sjpt.org) is a private, non-profit and membership-based land trust dedicated to helping people and communities conserve land in the San Juan Islands of Washington State. The Preservation Trust has permanently protected more than 260 properties, 34 miles of shoreline and 14,000 acres on 20 islands, including land now managed as public parks, nature preserves, wildlife habitat, and working farms and forests.
