SRT receives national accreditation renewal
TO: Central California Media
FROM: Aaron Collins, Director of Communications, SRT
DATE: 8/6/19
RE: SRT Re-Accredited by National Organization
CONTACT: SRT Policy Director Adam Livingston; adam@sequoiariverlands.org
or SRT Communications Director Aaron Collins, aaron@sequoiariverlands.org
For Immediate Release
Sequoia Riverlands Trust Earns National Recognition
Cited for Strong Commitment to Public Trust and Conservation Excellence
(VISALIA, CA) - One thing that unites us as a nation is our land: Americans strongly support saving the open spaces they love. Since its founding in 2000, Sequoia Riverlands Trust (SRT) has been doing just that for the people of Central California: Inspiring love and lasting protection for important lands, as its mission statement reads. SRT’s Kaweah Oaks Preserve, Dry Creek Preserve, and several others are among nearly 40,000 acres of land the organization has conserved.
Now SRT and the Land Trust Alliance (LTA) have announced the renewal of SRT’s land trust accreditation – proving once again that, as part of a network of over 400 accredited land trusts across the nation, it is committed to professional excellence and to maintaining the public’s trust in its conservation work.
“Renewing our accreditation shows SRT’s ongoing commitment to permanent land conservation in the San Joaquin Valley and Southern Sierra Nevada,” said SRT Policy Director Adam Livingston, who spearheaded the re-accreditation process for the Visalia-based land trust that owns or manages properties from the Tehachapis to Merced and west to San Luis Obispo County. “We are a stronger organization than ever for having gone through the rigorous accreditation renewal process. Our strength means special places will be protected forever, making our region an even greater place for us and our children and future generations to live.”
SRT provided extensive documentation and was subject to a comprehensive third-party evaluation prior to achieving this distinction. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission awarded renewed accreditation, signifying its confidence that SRT’s lands will be protected forever.
Accredited land trusts now steward almost 20 million acres – the size of Denali, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Everglades and Yosemite National Parks combined.
“It is exciting to recognize SRT’s continued commitment to national standards by renewing 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.”
SRT 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 .
About Sequoia Riverlands Trust
Sequoia Riverlands Trust is a regional nonprofit land trust dedicated to strengthening California's heartland and the natural and agricultural legacy of the southern Sierra Nevada and San Joaquin Valley. The wealth, productivity and beauty of this land inspire SRT’s work to conserve it for future generations.
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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