The Land Trust for Tennessee Receives National Land Trust Excellence Award
October 7, 2020
Statewide nonprofit recognized for its outstanding work in land conservation since 1999.
Nashville, TN – The Volunteer State is home to one of the most distinguished land conservation organizations in the country. Today, The Land Trust for Tennessee received the Land Trust Alliance’s National Land Trust Excellence Award for its strategic and visionary work in conserving land that matters to people and places across Tennessee.
“Tennessee’s farms, forests, parks, and open spaces are vital to our state,” said Liz McLaurin, President & CEO of The Land Trust for Tennessee. “During the pandemic, we across Tennessee have recognized that conserved open spaces offer both mental and physical respites, whether enjoyed though the window of a car, on a trail, behind the handlebars of a motorcycle, or on a tractor. We need more emphasis on the protection of all these distinctive landscapes. We’re honored to receive national recognition for our work to protect this beautiful place we call home.”
Since 1999, The Land Trust for Tennessee has worked to protect more than 130,000 acres of land through over 400 conservation projects in 70 Tennessee counties.
The Land Trust for Tennessee earned recognition from the Land Trust Alliance, a national land conservation organization working to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America. It is only the 20th land trust to receive the National Land Trust Excellence Award since 2007.
“The work that land trusts all across our nation are doing has never been more urgent or important,” said Land Trust Alliance President and CEO Andrew Bowman. “As we celebrate the many accomplishments of The Land Trust for Tennessee, we lift them up as an inspirational example to others working in conservation. I am proud to count The Land Trust for Tennessee among the Land Trust Alliance’s 1,000 member land trusts.”
The National Land Trust Excellence Award recognizes land trusts that excel at broadening support for land conservation, collaborating with partner organizations, engaging their community, and offering valuable education or outreach programs.
“We all started with high hopes and expectations, but today, The Land Trust for Tennessee has grown and evolved into something that has far exceeded all of them,” said former Tennessee Governor and founder of The Land Trust for Tennessee Phil Bredesen. “I especially love the way in which the organization connects with Tennesseans from all sorts of backgrounds and approaches to life. This group represents everything a land trust should be.”
The Land Trust for Tennessee’s impact spans communities from Memphis to Johnson City, and includes the protection of thousands of acres of family farms, large tracts of mountainous forests, public parks, and historic landscapes. The Land Trust has also partnered to add and protect 44,000+ acres of public lands and natural areas that families and visitors can enjoy, including the 685-acre Denny Cove in Marion County, 4,000-acre Sherwood Forest in Franklin County, thousands of acres along the Cumberland Trail, and the 4,000-acre Shelby Farms Park in Memphis.
In 2019, The Land Trust published a first-of-its-kind, statewide strategic conservation plan, Forever Tennessee, to maximize and guide its work for future generations.
CONTACT:
For more information email Director of Communications Daniel Brown or call (615) 244-5263.
About The Land Trust for Tennessee
The Land Trust for Tennessee is a conservation organization working statewide to protect land important to the people of Tennessee. From family farms and historic landscapes to public parks and forests, the work of The Land Trust has a lasting impact on people and places from Memphis to Mountain City. The organization has conserved 130,000 acres of land since its founding in 1999, and is recognized for meeting the highest standards for excellence and conservation permanence.
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. More information about the Alliance is available at www.landtrustalliance.org.