Bremerton, Washington (Aug. 20, 2020) – One thing that unites us as a nation is land: Americans strongly support saving the open spaces they love. Founded in 2000, Great Peninsula Conservancy (GPC) has been doing just that for the people of west Puget Sound for the last twenty years. Great Peninsula Conservancy now announces it has renewed its land trust accreditation – proving once again that, as part of a network of over 400 accredited land trusts across the nation, it is committed to professional excellence and to maintaining the public’s trust in its conservation work.
“Renewing our accreditation shows Great Peninsula Conservancy’s ongoing commitment to excellence in all that we do – conserving ecologically valuable lands, stewarding those lands in perpetuity, and connecting the community to the natural wonders of west Puget Sound. It is especially meaningful that recognition of our work occurs in 2020, GPC’s twentieth anniversary,” said Nathan Daniel, Great Peninsula Conservancy’s executive director. “Not only does accreditation reflect the high standards that staff use to approach our work, but it also reflects the commitment of communities in our working region to preserve special places such as Hahobas Shoreline Preserve, Filucy Bay Preserve, and GPC’s most recent Misery Point Project. This recognition is all of ours to share, and the biggest reward is the promise of a future for our region’s wild places.”
Great Peninsula Conservancy provided extensive documentation and was subject to a comprehensive third-party evaluation prior to achieving this distinction. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission awarded renewed accreditation, signifying its confidence that Great Peninsula Conservancy’s lands will be protected forever. Accredited land trusts now steward almost 20 million acres – roughly twenty times the size of Olympic National Park.
“It is exciting to recognize Great Peninsula Conservancy’s continued commitment to national standards by renewing this national mark of distinction,” said Melissa Kalvestrand, executive director of the Commission. “Donors and partners can trust 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.”
Great Peninsula Conservancy 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 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.