Dr. Chris Moore conserved Long Branch, a residential preserve, along Lookout Mountain a number of years ago to honor the mountain’s heritage. The Moore family has been in the Chattanooga area for over several generations. “It was something that ran in our family, this love of the land and our community,” said Dr. Moore. Dr. Moore wanted to partner with a local conservation group, one that would be around for years to come.
Today, Dr. Moore is pleased the Lookout Mountain Conservancy has been awarded National Accreditation by the Land Trust Alliance. Only 230 conservation groups of its type (out of 1,700) from across the country have been awarded accreditation since the fall of 2008. The LMC is only the third conservation organization, known as a land trust, in Tennessee to receive the award.
“This is great news,” remarked Dr. Moore. “The Lookout Mountain Conservancy’s accredited status demonstrates what I have always known: This organization takes local conservation seriously, including all the details needed for permanent land conservation.”
The accreditation process involves the external review of numerous documents and procedures over a 12-18 month period by Land Trust Alliance, an organization established to oversee the conservation excellence of land trusts nationwide. “As a conservation ‘Good Housekeeping Seal,’ it gives supporters, community members, and foundations like ours confidence that it’s a well-run organization,” said Bruz Clark, president of the Lyndhurst Foundation.
The LMC is a local land trust that works with area landowners to create conservation plans and voluntary conservation agreements. Landowners continue to own and manage the land, and can sell, lease, give it away or mortgage it. The property stays in private ownership and on the tax rolls.
In addition, the Conservancy works to establish local trails and parks, working with volunteers and area students to enrich their academic experiences with hands-on learning and education. Landowners can donate land to the organization or, if funding is available, the Conservancy can purchase the land to establish it as a park or trail. Most recently, this work has been focused on John Wilson Park, located on the eastern slope of Lookout Mountain, where students took part in a summer job corps program supported by the land trust’s membership and business partners.
“This is a land trust that’s making a difference in our community,” said Melissa Greever, head of the science department at The Howard School. Greever has partnered with the organization for the past two years to bring science, art, and personal growth to her urban high school students as well as introduce them to life in the out-of-doors.
“The Land Trust Alliance accreditation program is rigorous in scope, and certification is demanding to achieve,” said Greever. “The Lookout Mountain Conservancy has always been great to work with, and it’s changed the lives of many of our kids.”
Yet there are many different ways to view the accreditation stamp of approval.
For funders, those groups who help support area nonprofits, it’s a welcome statement of excellence and good management.
Peter Cooper, president of the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, said, “This is a major milestone for the Lookout Mountain Conservancy, and should give community members the confidence to support their excellent work. Think of the parks, children’s education programs, trails, and access to water with which they are assisting. There’s much more LMC could do with greater community support.”
Kristy Huntley, program director of the Benwood Foundation, who works with a lot of small nonprofits in the region, says she’s seen organizations which are well run and work hard to connect to the community thrive. “Being awarded accreditation is a testament to the Lookout Mountain Conservancy’s rigorous efforts in land conservation,” she said. “For me, it illustrates to the public that the organization has met the high standards in ensuring land protection for future generations.”
Those future generations are something Ron Harr, president and CEO of the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, thinks about a lot. The Chamber has been working with local groups to improve the quality of life and economic opportunities and training, and sees the work of the land trust to be part of that solution.
Upon hearing the news, Harr said, “The economic vitality of the Chattanooga area rests on a strong partnership between jobs, our beautiful river and mountains, and the recreational amenities that enrich those of us who live here and bring in tourists all year long. We need great schools and healthy families, too. Having a strong local conservation group like the Lookout Mountain Conservancy, which cares about people as much as the land, is important. We’re delighted to hear they have received this award.”
One of the area’s conservation leaders was pleased about the work of local conservation organizations like the LMC. “Chattanooga has been blessed with more than a century of visionary land conservation leadership, both through the community efforts and through the leadership of individuals and area nonprofits such land trusts,” said Allen McCallie, recipient of the Trust for Public Land’s Douglas P. Ferguson Award, a national award for land conservation leadership. “As our region continues to grow and prosper, land conservation is both more important, and more difficult, than ever. The initial conservation work in our area was undertaken at least three or four generations ago, as far back as the 1890s. The Lookout Mountain Conservancy is helping to make sure that everyone, from all walks of life, can feel the benefits of land conservation for generations to come. They are doing important work, right here, where people can feel it in their everyday lives – better health, better school experiences and better recreation close to home.”
The connection between people and the land, and conservation and education, is increasingly documented by national and international research.
“When we started back in the early 1990’s, the link between health and conservation wasn’t as clearly understood,” said Jon Armstrong, the LMC’s board chair. “Now, research from the University of Illinois as well as doctors throughout the country is recognizing that conservation – access to green spaces of many kinds on a regular basis – is important for learning, physical health. and our overall wellbeing.”
Mary Anne Williams, LMC past president, said, “Lookout Mountain Conservancy has approached its work so as to adhere to the national standards for land trust operations. It’s important, even as a small community-based organization, to make sure our work for the community stands the test of time.”
This fall, the LMC will be completing the Civil War historical review on the John Wilson Park extension, thanks to the support of local members and businesses. Founded in 1991, the Conservancy’s focus area covers the full 93 miles of Lookout Mountain, from Hamilton County, Tenn., to Etowah County, Ala.
The mission of the LMC is to protect Lookout Mountain’s scenic, historic and ecological resources, through conservation, advocacy, recreation and education for current and future generations. The organization provides environmental education and information to landowners and other interested parties about land conservation options. And the LMC promotes greenway development and conservation planning.
For more information about the LMC and its work, contact Robyn Carlton, LMC CEO, at 423-322-8053, or visit www.lookoutmountainconservancy.org.
The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, awards the accreditation seal to community institutions that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. The Commission is governed by a volunteer board of diverse land conservation and nonprofit management experts from around the country. More information is available on the Commission’s website, www.landtrustaccreditation.org.
The Land Trust Alliance is a national conservation group that works to save the places people love by strengthening conservation throughout America. It works to increase the pace and quality of conservation by advocating favorable tax policies, training land trusts in best practices and working to ensure the permanence of conservation in the face of continuing threats. The Alliance publishes Land Trust Standards and Practices and provides financial and administrative support to the Commission. It has established an endowment to help to ensure the success of the accreditation program and keep it affordable for land trusts of all sizes to participate in accreditation. More information can be found at www.landtrustalliance.org.
Source: Lookout Mountain Conservancy