Standard 12: Fee Land Stewardship

Transcription

1 2004 VERSION OF STANDARD 12 The land trust has a program of responsible stewardship for the land it holds in fee for conservation purposes. A. Funding Land Stewardship. The land trust determines the immediate and long-term financial and management implications of each land transaction and secures the dedicated and/or operating funds needed to manage the property, including funds for liability insurance, maintenance, improvements, monitoring, enforcement and other costs. If funds are not secured at or before the completion of the transaction, the land trust has a plan to secure these funds and has a policy committing the funds to this purpose. (See 6G.) B. Stewardship Principles. The land trust establishes general principles to guide the stewardship of its feeowned properties, including determining what uses are and are not appropriate on its properties, the types of improvements it might make and any land management practices it will follow. C. Land Management. The land trust inventories the natural and cultural features of each property prior to developing a management plan that identifies its conservation goals for the property and how it plans to achieve them. Permitted activities are compatible with the conservation goals, stewardship principles and public benefit mission of the organization. Permitted activities occur only when the activity poses no significant threat to the important conservation values, reduces threats or restores ecological processes, and/or advances learning and demonstration opportunities. D. Monitoring Land Trust Properties. The land trust marks its boundaries and regularly monitors its properties for potential management problems (such as trespass, misuse or overuse, vandalism or safety hazards) and takes action to rectify such problems. E. Land Stewardship Administration. The land trust performs administrative duties in a timely and responsible manner. This includes establishing policies and procedures, keeping essential records, filing forms, paying insurance, paying any taxes and/or securing appropriate tax exemptions, budgeting, and maintaining files. F. Community Outreach. The land trust keeps neighbors and community leaders informed about its ownership and management of conservation properties. G. Contingency Backup. The land trust has a contingency plan for all of its conservation land in the event the land trust ceases to exist or can no longer manage the property. To ensure that a contingency holder will accept the land, the land trust has complete and accurate files and stewardship funds available for transfer. H. Nonpermanent Holdings. When a land trust holds fee land with the intention to sell or transfer the land, the land trust is open about its plans with the public and manages and maintains the property in a manner that retains the land trust s public credibility. (See 8L.) I. Condemnation. The land trust is aware of the potential for condemnation, understands its rights and obligations under condemnation, and works diligently to prevent a net loss in conservation values. Land Trust Standards and /February 2017/Page 1

2 STANDARD 12 DECONSTRUCTED INTO ELEMENTS The land trust has a program of responsible stewardship for the land it holds in fee for conservation purposes. A. Funding Land Stewardship The land trust determines the immediate and long-term financial and management implications of each land transaction The land trust secures the dedicated and/or operating funds needed to manage the property, including funds for liability insurance, maintenance, improvements, monitoring, enforcement and other costs o If funds are not secured at or before the completion of the transaction, the land trust Has a plan to secure these funds Has a policy committing the funds to this purpose (See 6G.) B. Stewardship Principles The land trust establishes general principles to guide the stewardship of its fee-owned properties, including o Determining what uses are and are not appropriate on its properties o The types of improvements it might make o Any land management practices it will follow C. Land Management The land trust inventories the natural and cultural features of each property The land trust develops a management plan that identifies its conservation goals for the property and how it plans to achieve them o Permitted activities are compatible with the conservation goals, stewardship principles and public benefit mission of the organization o Permitted activities occur only when the activity poses no significant threat to the important conservation values, reduces threats or restores ecological processes, and/or advances learning and demonstration opportunities D. Monitoring Land Trust Properties The land trust marks its boundaries The land trust regularly monitors its properties for potential management problems (such as trespass, misuse or overuse, vandalism or safety hazards) The land trust takes action to rectify such problems E. Land Stewardship Administration The land trust performs administrative duties in a timely and responsible manner o This includes Establishing policies and procedures Keeping essential records Filing forms Paying insurance Paying any taxes Securing appropriate tax exemptions Land Trust Standards and /February 2017/Page 2

3 STANDARD 12 DECONSTRUCTED INTO ELEMENTS Budgeting Maintaining files F. Community Outreach The land trust keeps neighbors and community leaders informed about its ownership and management of conservation properties G. Contingency Backup The land trust has a contingency plan for all of its conservation land in the event the land trust ceases to exist or can no longer manage the property To ensure that a contingency holder will accept the land, the land trust has complete and accurate files and stewardship funds available for transfer H. Nonpermanent Holdings When a land trust holds fee land with the intention to sell or transfer the land, the land trust is open about its plans with the public The land trust manages and maintains the property in a manner that retains the land trust s public credibility (See 8L.) I. Condemnation The land trust is aware of the potential for condemnation The land trust understands its rights and obligations under condemnation The land trust works diligently to prevent a net loss in conservation values Land Trust Standards and /February 2017/Page 3

4 STANDARD 12 TRACK CHANGES The lland trusts hashave a program of responsible stewardship for the land it holdsheld in fee for conservation purposes. A. Funding Land Stewardship The land trust ddetermines the immediate and long-term financial and management implications of each land transactionconservation property acquisition and estimate the long-term implications Anticipate and track costs associated with long-term land management, stewardship and enforcement of conservation properties The land trust secures the dedicated and/or operating funds needed to manage the property, including funds for liability insurance, maintenance, improvements, monitoring, enforcement and other costs If funds are not secured at or before the completion of the transaction, the land trust Has a plan to secure these funds Has a policy committing the funds to this purpose (See 6G.) B. Stewardship Principles The land trust establishes general principles to guide the stewardship of its fee-owned properties, including o Determining what uses are and are not appropriate on its properties o The types of improvements it might make o Any land management practices it will follow CB. Land Management and Stewardship The land trust inventories the natural and cultural features of each property The land trust ddevelops a written land management plan that identifies its conservation goals for the property and how it plans to achieve themfor each conservation property prior within 12 months after acquiring the land to: o Identify the property s conservation values, including any significant cultural and natural features or those that have significant community value o Identify the overall management goals for the property o Identify activities to achieve the goals and to reduce any risks or threats to the conservation values o Specify the uses that are appropriate for the property, in keeping with the property s conservation values, any restrictions and donor or funder requirements Provide public access opportunities as appropriate to the property and the land trust s mission Manage each conservation property in accordance with its management plan, and review and update the plan as necessary o Permitted activities are compatible with the conservation goals, stewardship principles and public benefit mission of the organization o Permitted activities occur only when the activity poses no significant threat to the important conservation values, reduces threats or restores ecological processes, and/or advances learning and demonstration opportunities Land Trust Standards and /February 2017/Page 4

5 STANDARD 12 TRACK CHANGES Perform administrative duties (such as paying insurance, filing required forms, keeping records) in a timely and responsible manner Maintain the property in a manner that retains the land trust s public credibility, manages community expectations and minimizes risk DC. Monitoring Inspecting Land Trust Properties The land trust marks itsdetermine the boundaries of land trust properties and physically mark them to the extent possible or necessary The land trust regularly monitorsinspect its properties at least once per calendar year for potential management problems (such as trespass, misuse or overuse, vandalism or safety hazards) and promptly document the inspection The land trust takes action to rectify suchaddress management problems, including encroachments, trespass and other ownership challenges, in an appropriate and timely manner and document the actions taken E. Land Stewardship Administration The land trust performs administrative duties in a timely and responsible manner o This includes Establishing policies and procedures Keeping essential records Filing forms Paying insurance Paying any taxes Securing appropriate tax exemptions Budgeting Maintaining files F. Community Outreach The land trust keeps neighbors and community leaders informed about its ownership and management of conservation properties GD. Contingency BackupStrategy The land trust has a contingency plan for all of itstake reasonable steps to provide for the continuing protection of conservation land properties in the event the land trust ceases to exist or can no longer own or manage the propertythem To ensure that a contingency holder will accept the land, the land trust has complete and accurate files and stewardship funds available for transfer H. Nonpermanent Holdings When a land trust holds fee land with the intention to sell or transfer the land, the land trust is open about its plans with the public The land trust manages and maintains the property in a manner that retains the land trust s public credibility (See 8L.) IE. Condemnation The land trust is aware of the potential for condemnation The land trust understands its rights and obligations under condemnation Land Trust Standards and /February 2017/Page 5

6 STANDARD 12 TRACK CHANGES The land trust works diligently to prevent a net loss inif a conservation property is threatened with condemnation, take steps to avoid or mitigate harm to conservation values and document the actions taken Land Trust Standards and /February 2017/Page 6

7 STANDARD 12 REVISED CLEAN Yellow highlighting indicates new practices or new practice elements Blue indicates designated accreditation indicator elements Land trusts have a program of responsible stewardship for the land held in fee for conservation purposes. A. Funding Land Stewardship 1. Determine the immediate financial and management implications of each conservation property acquisition and estimate the long-term implications 2. Anticipate and track costs associated with long-term land management, stewardship and enforcement of conservation properties B. Land Management and Stewardship 1. Develop a written land management plan for each conservation property within 12 months after acquiring the land to: a. Identify the property s conservation values, including any significant cultural and natural features or those that have significant community value b. Identify the overall management goals for the property c. Identify activities to achieve the goals and to reduce any risks or threats to the conservation values d. Specify the uses that are appropriate for the property, in keeping with the property s conservation values, any restrictions and donor or funder requirements i. Provide public access opportunities as appropriate to the property and the land trust s mission 2. Manage each conservation property in accordance with its management plan, and review and update the plan as necessary 3. Perform administrative duties (such as paying insurance, filing required forms, keeping records) in a timely and responsible manner 4. Maintain the property in a manner that retains the land trust s public credibility, manages community expectations and minimizes risk C. Inspecting Land Trust Properties 1. Determine the boundaries of land trust properties and physically mark them to the extent possible or necessary 2. Inspect properties at least once per calendar year for potential management problems and promptly document the inspection 3. Address management problems, including encroachments, trespass and other ownership challenges, in an appropriate and timely manner and document the actions taken D. Contingency Strategy 1. Take reasonable steps to provide for the continuing protection of conservation properties in the event the land trust ceases to exist or can no longer own or manage them E. Condemnation 1. If a conservation property is threatened with condemnation, take steps to avoid or mitigate harm to conservation values and document the actions taken Land Trust Standards and /February 2017/Page 7