The Center for Land Conservation Assistance will be presenting workshops teaching the new Land Trust Alliance (LTA) Training Curriculum for land trusts and other conservation interests throughout the state. The new LTA curriculum provides in-depth and coordinated training to help all land trusts implement Standards and Practices to insure that land conservation projects are conducted in ways that are legal, ethical, sustainable and in the public interest. The Standards and Practices Curriculum is made up of 15 courses that cover 42 accreditation indicator practices. Indicator practices demonstrate that a land trust is operating in an ethical, legal and technically sound manner, and ensure the long-term protection of land in the public interest.
Workshops will be presented in a traditional classroom setting by experienced instructors. The workshop "Evaluation and Selecting Conservation Projects" was presented in September 2007. Plans to present Tax Benefits and Appraisals for Conservationists, Determining Stewardship Costs and Raising and Managing Dedicated Funds are in the works. If you would like more information on upcoming LTA training events in NH please contact Barbara Richter a 224-9945 or  .
LTA courses are also available for guided self-study at the LTA website. Check these training options out at the LTA website at http://www.lta.org/learning/curriculum.
To help land trusts measure how well they are implementing LTA’s Standards and Practices, CLCA is offering facilitated-guided organizational assessments. CLCA staff have been trained to coordinate organizational assessments by seasoned LTA facilitators. Organizational assessments have long been recognized as an important tool in building capacity for non-profit organizations. Organizational assessments are also required as part of the land trust accreditation process. Each organizational assessment will highlight policies and practices that are required for accreditation. CLCA staff can assist local and regional land trusts to evaluate their policies and practices and help create and implement needed additional practices required for accreditation. Organizational assessments require meeting with the land trust, reviewing numerous documents and assessing whether the land trust is fully implementing LTA’s S&Ps. If you are interested in a guided organizational assessment, please contact Dijit Taylor or Barbara Richter at the Forest Society at 224-9945.
If your land trust has considered using volunteers to monitor their conservation easements, CLCA can help. CLCA provides guidance and training for land trusts creating a volunteer land steward program. Using one of your protected properties CLCA can train your volunteers and board members to prepare for a monitoring visit and teach them how to document their observations. Workshops include an overview of stewardship and monitoring, preparation for a site visit including map and compass training, and review of proper documentation and record-keeping practices. Click here for a sample agenda. If you would like more information or an Easement Monitor Training Workshop Agenda contact Barbara Richter at .
CLCA designed this program to educate realtors about the importance of land conservation and its role in sustaining our communities. Realtors are often in an advisory role to landowners and can benefit by learning more about the options available to landowners to both protect their family lands and provide financial benefits. This workshop provides the information necessary for realtors to both understand conservation transactions and the importance of protecting valuable conservation resources.
Our goal is to make land protection a desired option for both landowners and real estate professionals by informing real estate professionals how land conservation transactions can benefit realtors, landowners and the conservation values of the land. This goal can be achieved by fostering a working relationship between realtors and local land trusts and through educating realtors on the basics of conservation transactions.
The workshop content and speakers are customized to include relevant local examples and speakers. Presenters typically include a real estate broker who deals in conservation transactions, a family land planning expert and representatives of local land trusts working in the area. The workshop will include a take home copy of the publication, Conserving Your Land: Options for New Hampshire Landowners for each attendee.
Real Estate workshops are usually co-sponsored by the local board of realty, and can provide realtors with needed continuing education credits. This is typically a half-day workshop, although a less detailed 1-2 hour version for fewer credits is available. Cost to the participants is based on the local norm for such training events and the availability of additional funding from sponsors or grants to help cover the costs.
Contact CLCA for more information about how to bring a Conservation Real Estate Workshop to your part of the state.
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