CENSUS REPORT. A Look at Voluntary Land Conservation in America

Transcription

1 2010 NATIONAL LAND TRUST CENSUS REPORT A Look at Voluntary Land Conservation in America

2 ABOUT About the Land Trust Alliance The mission of the Land Trust Alliance is to save the places people love by strengthening land conservation across America. Land trusts are nonprofit organizations that work with private landowners to voluntarily conserve forests, farms, parks and other cherished places that enrich our lives. We focus our work on three strategic goals: accelerating the pace, improving the quality, and ensuring the permanence of conservation. By building highly effective and well-governed land trusts that protect lands with the highest values to their communities and ensure their protection in perpetuity, we can preserve healthy human and natural communities, clean air and water, beautiful vistas, recreation areas and working lands. Survey Methodology The Land Trust Alliance collected data from January to September 2011 for the 2010 Census, beginning with a survey sent to about 1,760 land conservation organizations in the United States by and postal mail. All respondents were asked to report on their land conservation and organizational activities as of December 31, More than 950 land trusts responded directly, a 55% response rate, in line with previous Census years. To ensure consistency with past Census data, we collected additional information by , telephone and from state land trust associations. For land trusts for which no new information was available, we carried forward data from the 2005 and 2000 Census years. AUTHOR // Katie Chang, Information Services Manager EDITORS // Rob Aldrich, Director of Communications; Christina Soto, Saving Land Editor Special thanks to Peshie Chaifetz, production management; Kim Seese, report data management; Brett Souza, Intern; Tim Souza, Intern; Yesim Sungu-Eryilmaz, Statistical Consultant; Andy Weaver, Information Technology Manager Very special thanks to the entire land trust community and to the 953 land trusts who responded directly to the 2010 National Land Trust Census survey. The 2010 National Land Trust Census was developed in cooperation with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. The 2010 National Land Trust Census Report was released on November 16, For more about the National Land Trust Census, please visit or census@lta.org. Cover photo credits clockwise: Young cowgirl/ Stacy Barnett/123RF; Connecticut River Valley/Courtesy of Reggie Hall, The Conservation Fund, VA; Garlic Boys / 2010 Lisa Moussalli, Frog Bottom Farm, VA; Maple canopy, southeast Wisconsin/Courtesy of Ozaukee Washington Land Trust, Allen Curtes, photographer; Cows in pasture/istockphoto.com/seymour; Gardener in blue hat/connie M. Drysdale, photographer; Gardener with sunflowers/courtesy of the Center for Resilient Cities, Milwaukee, WI; View from Cobble Brook Preserve/ Jerry and Marcy Monkman, Ecophotography; Two horses with riders/ Jolene Gibson/123RF. Page 3: CT, Jerry and Marcy Monkman, Ecophotography. Page 4: L-R, Fresh Air/Courtesy of Common Ground High School, Urban Farm and Environmental Learning Center, New Haven, CT; Passagassawakeag River/Courtesy of Coastal Mountains Land Trust, Camden, ME; The Sands Ranch in AZ/Courtesy of Arizona Land And Water Trust/Richard Dawson, photographer. Page 6: Right, Elk Cove Vineyards, OR/Courtesy of Travel Portland/Janis Miglavs, photographer. Page 11: Left, White North/Courtesy of Western Reserve Land Conservancy (OH); Middle, Spring wildflowers/courtesy of Methow Conservancy (WA), Jason Paulsen, photographer. Page 13: Youth Gardening Program (NJ)/Courtesy of Kareen Motley, photographer; ChapelSeed Community Garden, New Haven, CT/Courtesy of H. Wells Sweeny. Page 14: Field and forest in Sharon, CT/Wendy Carlson, photographer. Lake Five, WI/Courtesy of Ozaukee Washington Land Trust, Allen Curtes, photographer. Page 18: Lake Wingra, Madison, WI/Courtesy of Michael Leland, mjlmadison on flickr.com; Wildflowers at Marks Ranch in CA/Courtesy of Big Sur Land Trust, CA; Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, accredited I LAND TRUST ALLIANCE

3 We set out to save land, but, in the end, we build community, preserve beauty and instill hope CENSUS REPORT I 3

4 Introduction Saving land has given America the chance to know itself again. When we look into the mirror of our national identity, we can now see farms, urban gardens, historic sites, mountains and rivers not just strip malls, bulldozers and traffic jams. Through land conservation, we give people the opportunity to taste something of what it is like to be authentically human: children rolling in the grass of an urban park; a grandfather teaching his granddaughter the quiet art of fishing; a fifth-generation farmer growing vegetables on his family s homestead nourishing his community with both fresh food and a farm stand where neighbors gather. We set out to save land, but, in the end, we build community, preserve beauty and instill hope. This report describes how land trusts are making these everyday miracles happen, despite the recession and big cuts to government funding. As measured by the 2010 National Land Trust Census, the land trust community in 2010 has protected more land, both nationwide and in every region. More people are involved in on-the-ground conservation: land trust board members, staff and volunteers. Land trusts are more strategic in their work, guided by written project selection criteria and strategic conservation plans. They are more sustainable, with growing operating endowments and funding dedicated to ongoing stewardship. Finally, the land trust community as a whole is more accountable in its commitment to meet the highest standards, with 135 land trusts accredited to date and more preparing to apply in the coming years. Purpose of the Five-Year Census The National Land Trust Census measures the pace and quality of the important conservation work of state, local and national land trusts in the United States. The Land Trust Alliance has reported on the status and successes of land trusts since its founding in As the land trust movement continues to grow and attract greater attention from the media and the general public, tracking and reporting on the impact of land trusts is critical for gaining even more public support for land trusts and land conservation. DEFINITION OF A LAND TRUST A land trust is a nonprofit organization that, as all or part of its mission, actively works to conserve land by undertaking or assisting in land or conservation easement acquisitions, or by its stewardship of such land or easements. By effectively saving land, land trusts enhance the economic, environmental and social values of their communities. They provide clean water, fresh air, safe food, places for recreation and a connection to the land that sustains us all. 4 I LAND TRUST ALLIANCE

5 Key Findings of the 2010 National Land Census Total acres conserved by state, local and national land trusts grew to 47 million as of year-end 2010 an increase of about 10 million acres since 2005 and 23 million since The number of active land trusts has leveled off at 1,723 organizations since the last Census. This includes 1,699 state and local groups and 24 organizations categorized as national land trusts. California has the most land trusts with 197, followed by Massachusetts (159), Connecticut (137), Pennsylvania (103) and New York (97). The number of active land trust volunteers increased by 70% since 2005, while the number of paid staff and contractors increased by 19%. On average, a land trust with a strategic conservation plan guiding its land or easement acquisition conserves twice as many acres as a land trust without such a plan. From 2005 to 2010, state and local land trusts more than doubled the amount of funding they have dedicated to monitoring, stewardship and legal defense. They also nearly tripled their operating endowments. Private Land Conservation: Major Trends from 2000 to 2010 I. MORE LAND The results of the 2010 Census show that the total acres conserved by state, local and national land trusts grew to 47 million as of year-end 2010 an area over twice the size of all the national parks in the contiguous United States. This represents an increase of about 10 million acres since 2005 and 23 million since Total Acres Conserved Acres owned by state and local land trusts 1,123,689 1,527,656 2,144,709 Acres under easement by state and local land trusts 2,316,064 6,007,906 8,833,368 Acres acquired and reconveyed and acres conserved by other means by state and local land trusts* 2,031,062 3,370,772 5,097,783 Total acres conserved by state and local land trusts 5,470,815 10,906,334 16,075,860 Total acres conserved by national land trusts 18,388,023 25,964,032 30,945,639 Total acres conserved by all land trusts 23,858,838 36,870,366 47,021,499 * Acres conserved by other means refers to land protected as a result of the activities of the land trust, but which the land trust did not directly acquire in fee or under easement. Common examples include negotiating or preparing for acquisition by other organizations or agencies, or deed restrictions CENSUS REPORT I 5

6 Private Land Conservation by State and Local Land Trusts ACRES PROTECTED (MILLIONS OF ACRES) Total Acres Protected Acres Under Easement Acres Owned YEAR For state and local land trusts, acres protected by conservation easements account for 55% of all land conserved, while 13% of total land saved is owned by land trusts. 6 I LAND TRUST ALLIANCE

7 Total Acres Conserved by All Land Trusts: State, Local and National 30,945,639 (66%) 25,964,032 (70%) Total acres conserved by state and local land trusts 18,388,023 (77%) 5,470,815 (23%) 10,906,334 (30%) 16,075,860 (34%) Total acres conserved by national land trusts National land trusts conserved almost twice as much land as state and local land trusts, but the percentage of total land saved by state and local land trusts grew to more than a third of total acres protected in 2010, up from less than a quarter in Total Acres Conserved by State and Local Land Trusts, By Region, as of 2000, 2005 and ,000,000 5,000,000 4,000,000 5,225, ,000,000 2,116,325 2,368,953 2,623,148 2,816,891 2,000,000 1,000, ,524 Midwest Northeast Northwest Pacific Southeast Southwest The Midwest region saw the greatest growth by percentage in acres conserved, with an 82% increase between 2005 and The Southwest saw the largest growth by the number of total acres conserved, with an additional 1.15 million acres protected between 2005 and CENSUS REPORT I 7

8 II. MORE PEOPLE The land trust community s successes nationwide are fueled by the dedicated work of more than 15,600 board members, 12,000 staff and 347,000 active volunteers. State, local and national land trusts drew the support of nearly 5 million members and financial supporters. Between 2005 and 2010, state and local land trusts drew upon a greater number of volunteers to achieve their conservation missions. This happened at the same time as the number of financial supporters decreased slightly and the number of paid staff positions grew by 19%, compared to the previous five-year period from 2000 to The number of active land trusts has stayed level since the last Census at 1,723 organizations nationwide. This includes 1,699 state and local groups and 24 organizations categorized as national land trusts. People Who Fuel the Land Trust Community STATE AND LOCAL NATIONAL 2010 TOTAL Staff and Contractors (full-time and part-time) 7,001 5,360 12,361 Board members 15, ,660 Volunteers 136, , ,028 Members/financial supporters 1,183,673 3,802,420 4,986,093 Trends for State and Local Land Trusts Staff and Contractors (full-time and part-time) % CHANGE FROM 2005 TO ,960 5,868 7,001 19% 48% % CHANGE FROM 2000 TO 2005 Board members 14,579 15,277 5% Volunteers 54,591 80, ,196 70% 47% Members/financial supporters 860,356 1,213,859 1,183,673-2% 41% 8 I LAND TRUST ALLIANCE

9 As resources for conservation continue to become more limited, Forterra and our partners are making an even greater effort to provide local volunteers with the training, tools and resources they need to expand our impact exponentially and infuse our neighborhoods with pride, optimism and a sense of community. GENE DUVERNOY, PRESIDENT, FORTERRA (WA) III. MORE STRATEGIC Land trusts can demonstrate their commitment to high standards by adopting Land Trust Standards and Practices, the ethical and technical guidelines for responsible operation of a land trust in the public interest. The 2010 Census survey asked land trusts about two policies recommended by Standards and Practices: project selection criteria and a strategic conservation plan. Project Selection Criteria Practice 8B of Standards and Practices, Project Selection and Criteria, states: The land trust has a defined process for selecting land and easement projects, including written selection criteria that are consistent with its mission. For each project, the land trust evaluates its capacity to perform any perpetual stewardship responsibilities. Of the 829 land trusts which indicated that they plan to actively pursue land or easement acquisitions in 2011, 83% responded that they have written project selection criteria to guide them CENSUS REPORT I 9

10 Prioritizing lands that are both ecologically significant and important to the communities we serve enables Inland Northwest Land Trust to switch to a proactive approach based on solid scientific principles. This focus will allow us to conserve more critical lands significant to the region. ANDREA HANNON, CONSERVATION DIRECTOR, INLAND NORTHWEST LAND TRUST (WA) Strategic Conservation Plan Practice 8A, Identifying Focus Areas, states: The land trust has identified specific natural resources or geographic areas where it will focus its work. Of the 829 land trusts which indicated that they plan to actively pursue land or easement acquisitions in 2011, 70% responded that they have a strategic conservation plan that lists or maps priority areas for conservation. Do land trusts with written strategic conservation plans protect more land? The answer is a resounding yes: our analysis shows that on average, a land trust with an active land or easement acquisition program and a strategic conservation plan conserves twice as many acres as a land trust without such a plan. This is true both nationwide and for all regions. Conserving Land Strategically GEOGRAPHY STRATEGIC CONSERVATION PLAN? NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS AVERAGE ACRES CONSERVED Entire US Yes ,051 No 240 8,203 Midwest Yes 95 7,210 No 42 2,865 Northeast Yes 258 9,122 No 116 7,832 Northwest Yes 51 39,280 No 14 5,596 Pacific Yes 63 22,820 No 12 5,762 Southeast Yes 63 20,800 No 29 9,228 Southwest Yes 34 37,143 No 27 19,437 * Includes only land trusts that indicated they plan to actively pursue land or easement acquisitions in I LAND TRUST ALLIANCE

11 Land Protection Priorities As community-based organizations, land trusts reflect the priorities of the people and places around them. The 2010 Census asked land trusts to rate the importance of protecting each of the land types listed in the table below. Based on a count of very or extremely important ratings, the top three priorities in 2010 were the same as the top three land protection types in 2005: 1. Important natural areas or wildlife habitats; 2. Water resources, including wetlands; and 3. Open space, in general. Water resources moved up one position from #3 to #2, behind Important natural areas. Of particular note is that 27% of respondents rated urban parks, gardens or open spaces as very or extremely important priorities. To put this in perspective, only 8% of land trusts who responded to the 2005 Census selected urban conservation as their organization s primary purpose. Priorities for Protecting Types of Land VERY OR EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PRIORITIES COUNT % OF RESPONDENTS RANK IN 2005 Important natural areas or wildlife habitats % #1 Water resources, including wetlands % #3 Open space, in general % #2 Working farms or ranchlands % Working forest lands % Recreation lands % Historic or cultural resources % Urban parks, gardens or open spaces % Respondents rated each land protection priority on a scale of extremely important, very important, somewhat important, slightly important, or not at all important. Ratings were not exclusive for example, more than one land type could be rated Extremely important. In 2005 land trusts were asked to indicate only their primary land protection type CENSUS REPORT I 11

12 Operating Budgets, State and Local Land Trusts CENSUS YEAR AVERAGE MEDIAN 2000 $305,246 $34, $338,333 $56, $460,832 $62,000 *All budget values are in 2010 dollars, adjusted for inflation. IV. MORE SUSTAINABLE To honor their commitments to protect land in perpetuity, land trusts must have the resources for long-term financial sustainability. Since 2005, land trusts have increased their operating budgets by 36%, while also saving for the future by significantly increasing the amount of funding dedicated to monitoring, stewardship and legal defense. Operating Budgets The average operating budget for state and local land trusts grew by 36% between 2005 and 2010, compared to the 11% increase between 2000 and However, the significant gap between the average and median operating budgets suggests that it is primarily growth in land trust budgets at the upper end of the scale that are the main driving force for this increase. (National land trusts are not included in this analysis of operating budgets due to to their disproportionately larger budgets.) Designated Funding State, local and national land trusts now manage more than $1.6 billion in various types of endowments and designated funds. From 2005 to 2010, state and local land trusts more than doubled the amount of funding they have dedicated to monitoring, stewardship and legal defense. With the high potential costs of defending protected lands in court, this type of funding is crucial for land trusts to ensure the permanence of protected land and easements under their care. Over the same five-year period, state and local land trusts also nearly tripled their operating endowments, established to sustain an organization s operating expenses over time. Designated Funding TYPE OF FUND STATE AND LOCAL NATIONAL TOTAL Monitoring and stewardship $163,053,155 $6,079,224 $169,132,379 Legal defense and enforcement $27,248,726 $575,000 $27,823,726 Monitoring, stewardship and legal defense combined $279,232,212 $2,861,000 $282,093,212 Land acquisition $359,071,485 $155,680,019 $514,751,504 Operating endowment $565,588,354 $117,786,218 $683,374,572 TOTAL $1,677,175, I LAND TRUST ALLIANCE

13 Designated Funding - Trends for State and Local Land Trusts TYPE OF FUND % CHANGE FROM 2005 TO 2010 Monitoring and stewardship $95,058,947 $163,053,155 72% Legal defense and enforcement $9,816,022 $27,248, % Monitoring, stewardship and legal defense combined $123,959,462 $279,232, % Land acquisition $349,082,037 $359,071,485 3% Operating endowment $197,819,752 $565,588, TOTAL $775,736,220 $1,394,193,932 80% Richardson Family Park is a textbook example of how Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust grows healthier communities through urban parks and gardens. The residents joining together to clean up and restore this park reignited the sense of community, recharged its leadership, created a new place for children to play and ensured a stronger and healthier future for all who live there. ALINA BOKDE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LOS ANGELES NEIGHBORHOOD LAND TRUST (CA) 2010 CENSUS REPORT I 13

14 V. MORE ACCOUNTABLE The Land Trust Alliance recognizes the achievements of the 135 land trusts that have earned accreditation as of September of the 135 accredited land trusts responded to the 2010 Census. A look at their responses as a group demonstrates that accreditation is achievable by groups from a wide variety of backgrounds. Accredited Land Trusts GROUP STATISTICS LOW HIGH AVERAGE MEDIAN Total acres conserved ,992 39,195 10,743 Number of full-time staff Number of part-time staff Number of full-time contractors Number of part-time contractors Number of board members Number of members or financial supporters 0 45,000 1, Number of active volunteers 0 12, Operating budget $2,712 $19,500,000 $1,122,370 $400, I LAND TRUST ALLIANCE

15 The accreditation process is comparable to a marathon the health benefits are in the training getting to run the marathon is the reward. Accreditation is about making sure your organization is a healthy one a land trust that is able to conserve land in perpetuity by fine-tuning their policies and streamlining their operations, all while increasing the community s confidence in your work. MARK STEINBACH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TEXAS LAND CONSERVANCY Total Land Protected by Accredited Land Trusts As a group, accredited land trusts have protected more than 5 million acres of land. This represents 32% of the total acres protected by state and local land trusts, and 12% of the total acres protected by all land trusts (state, local and national). At the same time, we also recognize the hard work and dedication of the many land trusts on the accreditation path. According to the 2010 Census, 65% of eligible land trusts who have not yet applied for accreditation say that they are preparing to do so. Percentage of All Land Protected BY STATE, LOCAL AND NATIONAL LAND TRUSTS IN THE US Protected by accredited land trusts 5,560,074 12% Protected by The Nature Conservancy (current applicant) 17,811,759 38% Protected by non-accredited land trusts 23,649,666 50% TOTAL 47,021, % 2010 CENSUS REPORT I 15

16 The Vermont Land Trust s (VLT) operating endowment has greatly contributed to our organization s stability and success. Historically, the value of VLT s endowment increased as a result of yearly planned gifts to our organization, directed to our endowment. In addition, VLT s positive investment performance is based on an asset allocation recommended by a combination of staff, board of trustee members and outside investment managers. ELISE ANNES, VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNITY RELATIONS, THE VERMONT LAND TRUST 16 I LAND TRUST ALLIANCE

17 Appendix: 2010 Summary Data Table Number of Land Trusts and Acres Protected by State and Local Land Trusts, as of December 31, 2010 STATE NUMBER OF LAND TRUSTS ACRES OWNED ACRES UNDER EASEMENT ACRES ACQUIRED AND RECONVEYED AND CONSERVED BY OTHER MEANS TOTAL ACRES CONSERVED AK 8 1,644 7,136 33,769 42,549 AL 8 8,571 97,035 55, ,015 AR , ,073 AZ 22 1,144 45, , ,811 CA , ,270 1,113,490 2,303,442 CO 38 5,916 1,141,098 78,036 1,225,050 CT ,531 36,054 6,964 99,549 DC DE 6 21,709 2,588 79, ,297 FL 33 11,447 45, , ,779 GA 22 3, ,653 19, ,024 HI ,150 2,853 20,499 IA 5 6,394 12,346 88, ,231 ID 12 6,297 52,479 26,061 84,837 IL 41 12,464 14,857 64,203 91,524 IN 27 14,386 18,321 4,549 37,256 KS , ,548 KY 13 2,572 14,528 6,876 23,976 LA , ,773 MA ,452 80, , ,334 MD 56 4, ,395 18, ,640 ME ,698 1,577, ,390 1,796,387 MI 43 45,210 86,355 30, ,819 MN 7 4,021 37,741 9,010 50,772 MO ,775 17,438 2, ,110 MS 6 2,207 88,931 2,761 93,899 MT 15 41, , ,181 1,130,808 NC 35 36, , , ,669 ND 0 0 NE 5 16,143 10, ,055 NH 34 94, ,726 53, ,274 NJ 37 62,059 14, , ,578 NM 8 322, ,816 17, ,051 NV ,770 45,012 NY , , , ,807 OH 44 22,039 78,684 12, ,146 OK , ,291 OR 23 11,084 36,851 5,451 53,386 PA , , , ,243 RI 47 18,052 9,919 1,961 29,932 SC 24 8, ,338 21, ,576 SD ,171 5,361 6,812 TN 20 10,830 58,481 67, ,881 TX 36 31, ,754 43, ,261 UT 8 1,083 47,075 17,560 65,718 VA 36 8, , ,766 1,129,787 VT 35 39, , , ,971 WA 37 32,852 60, , ,478 WI 58 27,596 68,798 23, ,960 WV ,453 7,000 31,696 WY , , ,267 TOTALS 1,699 2,144,709 8,833,368 5,097,783 16,075,860 For more charts and tables of Census data, please visit our website at CENSUS REPORT I 17

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19 This grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never all dried at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset, eternal dawn and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls. JOHN MUIR

20 LAND TRUST ALLIANCE 1660 L Street NW, Suite 1100 Washington, DC (202) For more about the National Land Trust Census, please visit or census@lta.org.