Dear , The nation is abuzz with last week’s election. Along with a new president, there will be at least eight new senators and 50 new representatives come January. The Alliance needs your help to build strong relationships with all the newly elected. This time of change presents a great opportunity to make the new tax incentives a permanent part of the tax code and create new federal funding for land conservation. Voters across the nation showed their support for our issues. Even in the midst of an economic crisis, voters approved ballot measures providing more than $8.4 billion in new funding for conservation. Learn more about these remarkable victories below. The Alliance also needs your help in designing an insurance program to defend conservation easements. Please fill out this survey, and help the Alliance determine if this idea is feasible.   Rand Wentworth President, Land Trust Alliance

policy

Voters Approve $8.4 Billion and Other Incentives for Conservation Despite tough economic times, voters have approved a record $8.4 billion in new funding for conservation this year. Alliance board member David Hartwell helped to spearhead the biggest prize on Election Day: a sales tax in Minnesota that will provide $5.5 billion for conservation over the next 25 years. That’s nearly double the previous record for a single measure! Lacking a state income tax, voters in Florida took the innovative approach of exempting land under easement from all property tax. For a complete rundown of state and local funding measures, visit The Trust for Public Land’s LandVote.

PLAN AHEAD FOR 2009

2009 Learning Opportunities Starting your budgeting process for next year? Make sure to include a line item to attend the Alliance’s Rally 2009, in the green city of Portland, OR, or one of the local regional conferences in the Midwest, Southeast, or Northeast. If you can’t make them, we have a suite of online trainings available too. The Alliance trainings are truly unsurpassed in value. Rally 2008 attendee, Joy Cagle-Harper of the Eno River Association, said: “The seminar I took was worth two to three times what we paid for it. Now I can hit the ground running returning from Rally and champion a development initiative for my land trust.” More Training Opportunities

Register Now to Apply for Accreditation! Join a diverse group of 39 land trusts from across the country that have demonstrated their commitment to excellence through earning accreditation. If your land trust would like to apply for accreditation, you should complete an online registration form to hold your place for 2009. Learn more about applying from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance. The Alliance is committed to providing your land trust with the tools to prepare for accreditation. See our recently revised Grow brochure for updated course offerings (PDF, 600KB). Back to Top

CONSERVATION DEFENSE

Help Design Conservation Defense Insurance If it proves feasible to create one, the Alliance and land trusts across the country will own and operate a conservation defense insurance program together. What do you think are the critical qualifying criteria for a land trust to participate? How would you assess risk and what factors would you consider in the final premium assessed for a particular conservation easement? Take the survey to answer these questions and others to help design this potential program. Learn more about conservation defense insurance on our website, including a PowerPoint for your board.

Special Training Opportunity: Land Conservation Legal Issues Plan ahead to join your colleagues in lovely Vail, CO next June for an intensive seminar on Advanced Legal Topics in Conservation Easements to sharpen your skills, network with peers and strengthen the conservation defense efforts of the land trust community. Learn more about this seminar presented by the Alliance, CLE International and the law firm of Isaacson Rosenbaum P.C.

Local Business Owner Becomes Conservation Hero Over 1,300 abandoned tires at the Point Creek Natural Area (PCNA) in the coastal zone of Lake Michigan are on their way to become playground surfaces and horse arena padding. Instead of suing the owner of the natural area to remove the tires, Glacial Lakes Conservancy worked diligently to find a creative solution to this common and frustrating conservation easement dilemma encountered by many land trusts. It helped tremendously that a local business owner offered to cover the tire disposal costs. Vickie Hall, executive director of the conservancy, said “The clean-up was a monumental task but we know now that it can be done!” More Information Back to Top

OTHER NEWS

Charity Navigator Awards Alliance 4-Star Rating We are pleased to announce that the Alliance has achieved the coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator for sound fiscal health. This highest rating indicates that the Alliance executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way, and demonstrates to the public that contributing to the Alliance is a safe, secure, and smart investment. Charity Navigator is America's largest independent evaluator of charities. Learn more about our 4-star rating and how you can invest in the good work of land trusts, the Alliance and conserving land.

Conservation Opportunities with Distressed Properties Last month, the Alliance co-hosted a conference call to share ideas on how land trusts can raise new capital, implement strategies and acquire land from distressed sellers. Something good could come out of the economic crisis in this country, in the form of more land saved. Please see our website to listen to a recording of the call, see notes and suggestions from call participants, and sign up for a listserv to learn more about it.

The Learning Center Have you heard people talking about The Learning Center, the place to access information, take courses and join discussion groups about all aspects of land conservation? To see what everyone’s talking about, follow these simple steps: Go to http://learningcenter.lta.org (do not use www). Click on 'Register' under the login button. Fill in your name, e-mail and member land trust or partner organization. This is what gives you permission to access The Learning Center. Note: if you have attended Rally, a regional conference, or ordered a book from us online, we already have your registration information. Just click on the Forgot your password? link to retrieve your login info. Once you have registered or received a password, go to http://learningcenter.lta.org/ and use your e-mail and password to log in. That’s it! Back to Top

eNews is edited and produced by Francesca Dalleo, Communications Specialist at the Alliance.

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IN THIS ISSUE

>> Voters Approve $8.4 Billion and Other Incentives for Conservation >> 2009 Learning Opportunities >> Register Now to Apply for Accreditation! >> Help Design Conservation Defense Insurance >> Special Training Opportunity: Land Conservation Legal Issues >> Local Business Owner Becomes Conservation Hero >> Charity Navigator Awards Alliance 4-Star Rating >> Conservation Opportunities with Distressed Properties Follow Up >> The Learning Center

updated course catalog Get your free copy of the newly updated Grow brochure that outlines your educational path to success. Download Grow from our website, or e-mail learn@lta.org for hard copies to share with staff. More >>

rallynet Need extra materials from a Rally workshop? Check out RallyNet, which is free and open to the public until January 31, 2009. More >>