A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD is now open.

 LTV is applying for accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. The Commission invites public input and accepts signed, written comments on pending applications. Comments must relate to how the Land Trust of Virginia complies with national quality standards. Comments on LTV’s application will be most useful by June 14, 2008.

The Land Trust of Virginia, headquartered in Middleburg, Virginia and established in 1991, is pleased to announce that it is applying for accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance.

The Land Trust Alliance is a national organization that promotes voluntary private land conservation to benefit communities and natural systems.  It is a national convener, strategist and representative of more than 1600 land trusts across America.

The land trust accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands in perpetuity.  The Commission conducts an extensive review of each applicant’s policies and programs.

The Land Trust of Virginia believes that attaining accreditation will underscore the efforts it has made in recent years to meet the high quality standards that have been developed and adopted by its board of directors, including the Land Trust Alliance’s Land Trust Standards and Practices.    

The Commission invites public input and accepts signed, written comments on pending applications.  Comments must relate to how the Land Trust of Virginia complies with national quality standards.

These standards address the ethical and technical operations of a land trust.  For the full list of standards see www.landtrustaccreditation.org-accredited/2008-indicator-practices.

To learn more about the accreditation program and to submit a comment, visit www.landtrustaccreditation.org.  Comments may also be faxed or mailed to the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, Attn: Public Comments: (fax) 518-587-3183; (mail) 112 Spring Street, Suite 204, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.  Comments on the Land Trust of Virginia’s application will be most useful by June 14, 2008.