Strong Commitment to Public Trust and Conservation Excellence

August 7, 2019 Arkville, New York – One thing that unites us as a nation is land: Americans strongly support saving the open spaces they love. Since 1969, the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development has been doing just that for the people of the Catskill Region. Now the Catskill Center announced it has achieved national recognition—joining a network of over 400 accredited land trusts across the nation that have demonstrated their commitment to professional excellence and to maintaining the public’s trust in their work.

Jeff Senterman, Executive Director of the Catskill Center, says, “As a conservation organization, we value the protection of our unique natural resources and landscapes in the Catskill region. The seventeen easements held by the Catskill Center allow property owners to make the Catskills’ grandeur their personal legacy. Together, we protect important lands in perpetuity.”

Markley Boyer, Catskill Center Board Chair, says, “For 50 years, we at the Catskill Center have recognized the value of protecting the natural state of New York’s Catskills, and we are thrilled to now have our conservation work accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. Over the years, we’ve been trusted to care for precious Catskills lands such as the Thorn Preserve in Woodstock and Platte Clove in Hunter. To be so honored in the midst of our 50th Anniversary year empowers and reinforces our commitment for the next 50.”

The Catskill Center provided extensive documentation and was subject to a comprehensive third-party evaluation prior to achieving this distinction. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission awarded accreditation, signifying its confidence that the Catskill Center’s lands will be protected forever. Accredited land trusts steward almost 20 million acres of land—the size of Denali, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Everglades and Yosemite National Parks combined. 

“It is exciting to recognize the Catskill Center with this national mark of distinction,” said Tammara Van Ryn, executive director of the Commission. “Donors and partners can trust that the more than 400 accredited land trusts across the country are united behind strong standards and have demonstrated sound finances, ethical conduct, responsible governance, and lasting stewardship.”

The Catskill Center is one of 1,363 land trusts across the United States according to the Land Trust Alliance’s most recent National Land Trust Census. A complete list of accredited land trusts and more information about the process and benefits can be found at www.landtrustaccreditation.org.

About the Catskill Center

Founded in 1969, the Catskill Center is celebrating its 50th year of protecting and preserving the environmental, cultural, and economic well-being of the Catskill region.

The Catskill Center’s role as a land trust began in 1974 when it was gifted the first 100 acres of what would later become the Platte Clove Preserve. Thousands of visitors each year now enjoy Platte Clove’s wild character and stunning beauty. To date, the Catskill Center has transferred over 15,000 acres to New York State to be added to the Catskill Forest Preserve. It currently protects more than 1,700 acres through conservation easements and provides public access to nearly 400 acres of its own preserved land. The organization also works to preserve forested, streamside lands essential for maintaining Catskills streams’ excellent water quality through its Streamside Acquisition Program: a partnership program with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

The organization believes that the vitality and prosperity of the Catskills depends on the wise stewardship of natural and cultural resources, thriving local communities and robust collaboration with others. To learn more, or to join in the Catskill Center’s work, visit www.catskillcenter.org.

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. For more, visit www.landtrustaccreditation.org.

About the Land Trust Alliance

Founded in 1982, the Land Trust Alliance is a national land conservation organization that works to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America. The Alliance represents 1,000 member land trusts supported by more than 200,000 volunteers and 4.6 million members nationwide. The Alliance is based in Washington, D.C., and operates several regional offices.

The Alliance’s leadership serves the entire land trust community—their work in the nation’s capital represents the policy priorities of land conservationists from every state; their education programs improve and empower land trusts from Maine to Alaska; and their comprehensive vision for the future of land conservation includes new partners, new programs and new priorities. Connect with them online at www.landtrustalliance.org.

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