Moncks Corner, S.C. - (Aug. 9, 2018) – One thing that unites us as a nation is land: Americans strongly support saving the open spaces they love. For more than 25 years, Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust has been doing just that for the people of the Lowcountry. Now Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust announces it has achieved national recognition – joining a network of over 400 accredited land trusts across the nation that have demonstrated their commitment to professional excellence and to maintaining the public’s trust in their work.
“Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust is committed to permanent land conservation along the Cooper and Santee Rivers, and the headwaters of the Ashley and Edisto Rivers,” said J. Raleigh West, executive director, Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust. “We are a stronger organization for having gone through the rigorous accreditation program. Our strength means special places – such as Fort Fair Lawn and Oakland Plantation – will be protected forever, making our region an even greater place for us and our children.”
Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust provided extensive documentation and was subject to a comprehensive third-party evaluation prior to achieving this distinction. “It is exciting to recognize Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust with this national mark of distinction,” said Tammara Van Ryn, executive director of the Commission. “Donors and partners can trust the more than 400 accredited land trusts across the country are united behind strong standards and have demonstrated sound finances, ethical conduct, responsible governance, and lasting stewardship.”
As a recognition of this significant organizational achievement, the Trust was awarded a $10,000 unrestricted gift by the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, which provides general operating and project-specific grants that lead to landscape-scale land preservation and stewardship in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. “The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation has been an integral funding partner for much of the conservation work in the region,” commented West. “The additional recognition, in the form of their generous gift, will go directly to our work to protect special places.”
Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust is one of 1,363 land trusts across the United States according to the Land Trust Alliance’s most recent National Land Trust Census. A complete list of accredited land trusts and more information about the process and benefits can be found at www.landtrustaccreditation.org.
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About the Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust
Founded in 1992, Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust works to protect the land in the Santee River and Cooper River watersheds, the Ashley River headwaters, and Four Holes Swamp. To date, Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust has protected more than 33,000 acres permanently through easements and acquisitions.
About the Land Trust Accreditation Commission
The Land Trust Accreditation Commission inspires excellence, promotes public trust and ensures permanence in the conservation of open lands by recognizing organizations that meet rigorous quality standards and strive for continuous improvement. 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. For more, visit www.landtrustaccreditation.org.
About the Land Trust Alliance
Founded in 1982, the Land Trust Alliance is a national land conservation organization that works to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America. The Alliance represents 1,000 member land trusts supported by more than 200,000 volunteers and 4.6 million members nationwide. The Alliance is based in Washington, D.C., and operates several regional offices.
The Alliance’s leadership serves the entire land trust community—our work in the nation’s capital represents the policy priorities of land conservationists from every state; our education programs improve and empower land trusts from Maine to Alaska; and our comprehensive vision for the future of land conservation includes new partners, new programs and new priorities. Connect with us online at www.landtrustalliance.org.
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