Accreditation

January 2026

Stowe Land Trust is proud to announce that we are applying for renewal of our national accreditation, reflecting the organization’s deep and ongoing commitment to the highest standards of excellence in land conservation, governance, and public trust.

Accreditation through the Land Trust Accreditation Program is a mark of distinction that recognizes land trusts that demonstrate ethical conduct, strong stewardship practices, and sound organizational management while protecting important natural lands and working landscapes forever. Stowe Land Trust has been accredited since 2010 and is currently seeking a 7-year term of reaccreditation.

“Accreditation is an important way we hold ourselves accountable to our community and to the land we protect,” said Amy Stewart, Stowe Land Trust’s Board President. “It affirms our commitment to transparency, integrity, and conservation that will endure for generations.”

As part of the renewal process, the Land Trust Accreditation Commission invites public comment on Stowe Land Trust’s application. Comments must relate to how Stowe Land Trust meets national quality standards for land trusts, including ethical and technical practices, stewardship of conserved lands, and responsible organizational operations. A full list of these standards is available at https://www.landtrustaccreditation.org/help-and-resources/indicator-elements.

To learn more about the accreditation program or to submit a public comment, visit www.landtrustaccreditation.org or email comments to info@landtrustaccreditation.org. Written comments may also be mailed to:

Land Trust Accreditation Commission
Attn: Public Comments
36 Phila Street, Suite 2
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Comments on Stowe Land Trust’s application will be most helpful if received by March 21, 2026.

About the Land Trust Accreditation Commission

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission inspires excellence, promotes public trust and ensures permanence in the conservation of open lands by recognizing organizations that meet rigorous quality standards and strive for continuous improvement. The Commission, established in 2006 as an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, is governed by a volunteer board of diverse land conservation and nonprofit management experts.

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. 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. 

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, based in Saratoga Springs, NY, is governed by a volunteer Board of diverse land conservation and nonprofit management experts from around the country. The Alliance, of which Stowe Land Trust is a member, is a national conservation group based in Washington, D.C. that works to strengthen conservation throughout America.