Franklin County-based Tar River Land Conservancy has protected more than 23,000 acres of land and almost 200 miles of streams since 2000. As a nationally-accredited land trust working to preserve natural resources in eight counties, including Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren, the organization participates in a review process to retain its credentials.
“The Land Trust Accreditation Commission administers an accreditation program to recognize land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever,” according to a statement from Derek Halberg of the Tar River Land Conservancy. TRLC was accredited in 2013, re-accredited in 2018, and currently is in process of another renewal.
The commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, will conduct an extensive review of Tar River Land Conservancy’s policies and programs. The commission invites public input and accepts signed, written comments on pending applications.
According to Halberg, comments must relate to how Tar River Land Conservancy complies with national quality standards, which address the ethical and technical operation of a land trust. It would be most helpful, he said, if comments to support the TRLC application could be made by Dec. 9, 2023.
For the full list of standards, visit http://www.landtrustaccreditation.org/help-and resources/indicator-practices.
To learn more about the accreditation program and to submit a comment, visit www.landtrustaccreditation.org, or email your comment to info@landtrustaccreditation.org.
Comments may also be mailed to the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, Attn: Public Comments, 36 Phila Street, Suite 2, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
To learn more about TRLC, visit https://www.tarriver.org/