Hilltown Land Trust is thrilled to announce we have been accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance.
Only 10 of the 137 land trust in Massachusetts are accredited and only 285 land trust nationwide. Accredited land trusts have demonstrated that they meet national standards for excellence, uphold the public trust and ensure that conservation efforts are permanent.
Hilltown Land Trust has worked very hard over the past several years to bring our policies and practices to the highest levels required for accreditation. We are now a stronger, more efficient and productive organization.
HLT’s Board President, Marie Burkart notes, “For most of HLT’s history, all of our conservation work was conducted by a small group of knowledgeable volunteers. Achieving national accreditation reflects the professional care and dedication those volunteers, and now HLT’s small staff, bring to our work of protecting working lands and other natural areas in the Hilltowns.”
Accreditation is the highest national mark of distinction a land trust can achieve and must be renewed every five years. Each accredited land trust meets extensive documentation requirements and undergoes a comprehensive review as part of its accreditation or renewal application. More information about the process and benefits are detailed at http://www.landtrustaccreditation.org