Coastal Land Trust earns accreditation
Thursday, February 23, 2012

Conservancy is 10th in North Carolina to win endorsement

Congratulations to North Carolina Coastal Land Trust, which has just become the 10th land trust in North Carolina to earn accreditation.

Coastal (NCCLT), which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, was among 23 land trusts nationwide whose accreditation was announced this week by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent arm of the Land Trust Alliance. The Commission has accredited 158 land trusts (including CTNC) since the program began in the fall of 2008.

Other accredited land trusts in North Carolina are:

• Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy
• Catawba Lands Conservancy
• Conservation Trust for North Carolina
• Eno River Association
• Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina
• Land Trust for the Little Tennessee
• National Committee for the New River
• Piedmont Land Conservancy
• Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy

"Being accredited is an exciting affirmation of the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust’s record of accomplishments -- enriching coastal communities through conservation of almost 50,000 acres of open space and natural areas, conservation education, good land stewardship, and operating in a fiscally sound and ethically responsible way," said Linda Murchison, NCCLT's board president.

Coastal Land Trust worked with the NC Wildlife Federation in 2011 to protect 45 acres of unspoiled wildlife habitat on Brown's Island, near Cape Lookout National Seashore. (Photo courtesy NC Coastal Land Trust)

North Carolina Coastal Land Trust works in 31 counties of eastern North Carolina, saving beaches that became state parks, streams that provide clean water, forests that are havens for wildlife, working farms that provide local food, and nature parks that everyone can enjoy.

"Saving coastal lands is vitally important -- for clean water, nature parks, and for all life that depends on the health of the coastal region’s lands and waters," NCCLT's founder and executive director, Camilla Herlevich, said. "But like any non-profit, North Carolina Coastal Land Trust depends on public confidence and support. So we’re proud to be among the top 10 percent of land trusts in the nation that are accredited."

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. Read LTAC's news release announcing the latest group of accredited land trusts.