Last spring, we informed you that we were applying for renewal of our accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance. We are happy to report that we have achieved renewed land trust accreditation!

"This prestigious designation means that we have achieved national standards for excellence, trust and permanence. It demonstrates our commitment to permanent land conservation that benefits the entire community," said Jeffrey Marshall, President of Heritage Conservancy. "Our land trust is a stronger organization today having gone through the rigorous accreditation renewal process."

We were awarded renewed accreditation this March and are one of only 254 land trusts from across the country that are now accredited. Accredited land trusts are authorized to display a seal indicating to the public that they meet national standards for excellence, uphold the public trust and ensure that conservation efforts are permanent. The seal is a mark of distinction in land conservation.

"Heritage Conservancy is one of the first land trusts to achieve renewed accreditation, a significant achievement for the land trust and significant major milestone for the accreditation program. They are an important member of the 254 accredited land trusts that protect more than half of the 20,645,165 acres currently owned in fee or protected by a conservation easement held by a land trust," said Commission Executive Director Tammara Van Ryn. "Accreditation renewal, which must be completed every five years, provides the public with an assurance that accredited land trusts continue to meet exceedingly high standards for quality."

Each land trust that achieved renewed accreditation submitted extensive documentation and underwent a rigorous review. "Through accreditation renewal, land trusts are part of an important evaluation and improvement process that verifies their operations continue to be effective, strategic and in accordance with strict requirements," said Van Ryn. "Accredited organizations have engaged citizen conservation leaders and improved systems for ensuring that their conservation work is permanent."

According to the Land Trust Alliance, conserving land helps ensure clean air and drinking water; safe, healthy food; scenic landscapes and views; recreational places; and habitat for the diversity of life on earth. In addition to health and food benefits, conserving land increases property values near greenbelts, saves tax dollars by encouraging more efficient development, and reduces the need for expensive water filtration facilities. Across the country, local citizens and communities have come together to form more than 1,700 land trusts to save the places they love. Community leaders in land trusts throughout the country have worked with willing landowners to save over 47 million acres of farms, forests, parks and places people care about, including land transferred to public agencies and protected via other means. Strong, well-managed land trusts provide local communities with effective champions and caretakers of their critical land resources, and safeguard the land through the generations.

"We are proud to display the accreditation seal and show the members of our community that we are dedicated to permanently preserving the heritage of this region for the enjoyment of everyone," said Linda Cacossa, Chief Operating Officer for Heritage Conservancy. 

Volunteers at our annual Mulch Madness event

Every day, compassionate members of our community volunteer their time through service work in order to make our country a better place. They want nothing in return but to know that they are making a positive impact in the lives of their fellow citizens. In honor of their inspiring efforts, National Volunteer Week was established. Marking its 40th anniversary, National Volunteer Week will be held this year from April 6th-12th, and we will be celebrating and encouraging our volunteers throughout the week.

On Monday, April 7th, we will hold our annual Mulch Madness at Aldie Mansion. When we chose Aldie Mansion as our headquarters, we knew that we needed it to be self-sustaining in order to reside here. To do this, we added a ballroom to the building to hold weddings and special events that bring in revenue. To appeal to prospective clients, it is crucial that we keep Aldie Mansion's grounds looking beautiful. The initial weeding and mulching in springtime is a huge undertaking, so we enlist the help of dedicated volunteers to ease the burden of this process. To participate in this event and/or our Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon that will be held on the same day to honor our volunteers from the past year, please register with Shannon Fredebaugh.

During the week, our Board of Directors will convene. This group of motivated volunteers provides guidance to our organization to further our mission of land and historic property preservation, to assist with financial goals, and to achieve regional prominence through outreach and marketing. We depend greatly on their volunteer service.

On Thursday, April 10th, we will celebrate our Community Volunteer of the Year at the YMCA's Volunteer of the Year Recognition Dinner held at the Warrington Country Club. We are honoring Diane Allison with this award for her over 10 years of generous service to our organization. She assists with our annual amphibian crossing and performs educational outreach programs for us, particularly programs with a focus on birding, as she is an avid ornithologist. If you'd like to see Diane in her element, she will be leading our Heron Walk on Saturday, April 12th at Quakertown Swamp. If interested, please register with Tammy Schane at 215- 345-7020 ext. 107.

We are pleased to participate in National Volunteer Week and raise awareness of the important contributions of our volunteers. By working together to take action, we can all make a difference. If you would like to feel inspired, contact Shannon Fredebaugh to get involved! She can be reached at 215-345-7020 ext. 104 or by email HERE. We hope that the goodwill generated by National Volunteer Week extends throughout the year!