2018 Schedule

With all the challenging conservation issues facing us, and all the important and creative strategies for confronting them, the need for truly wild places may seem irrelevant. But the original concept of wil-der-ness (literally “will of the land”) is as radical and beautiful as the land trust movement itself. Self-willed land. Land where plants and animals are free to make their own choices, and free to form the rich communal fabric of a mature ecosystem. Evidence shows that old self-managed forests and grasslands have greater resilience, store more carbon, and provide unique ethical and spiritual values to people. With stewardship redefined as participating in and contributing to the community of life, new questions arise about why and how we care for land. In this workshop we will look at the compelling case, and growing need, for wild places from three perspectives: Science, Philosophy, Culture. Dr. Mark Anderson is the Director of Science for The Nature Conservancy’s Eastern Region and developer of TNC’s climate resilience analysis. Tom Butler is Vice President for Conservation Advocacy at Tompkins Conservation and editor of “Keeping the Wild”. Robin Wall Kimmerer (invited) is a Native American ecologist, professor of environmental and forest biology at the State University of New York, and author of the book “Braiding Sweetgrass.” Tom and Mark are board members of Northeast Wilderness Trust, a regional land trust focused exclusively on preserving forever-wild landscapes

For centuries California Indians managed and sustained cultural ecosystems that coevolved with traditional resource and environmental management (TREM) practices, such as fire, selective harvesting, digging, and seed scattering. California’s coastal prairies have greater species richness than any other grassland type in North America and are culturally important ecosystems, which provide traditional food, fibers, and medicines. Today, after a period of colonial dispossession, the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band is fulfilling their obligation to the Creator, and working to restore their native food plants, by relearning their traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) to return to their traditional territory to steward and care for Mother Earth. Amah Mutsun Tribal Chairman Valentin Lopez will discuss the history of the tribe and how the Amah Mutsun Land Trust (AMLT) was developed as a means to assist the tribe in their relearning efforts and also gain access to lands within their tribal territory. Rick Flores, Research Associate for AMLT, will discuss TEK and the implications for this Indigenous science to collaborate with Western Science to restore cultural ecosystems and promote biodiversity.

Invasive species are one of the greatest threats posed to our natural areas. Unfortunately invasive species are something almost all land trusts have in common. Invasive species are a major threat to the land we are charged to protect in part because they can change habitats and alter ecosystem function, crowd out or displace native species and inhibit human activities, costing the economy millions of dollars. Costs to agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and other human activities in the US by introduced species are estimated by some to be $137 billion per year. During this session, Steven Manning will introduce several of the most prolific invaders land trusts must consider followed by an systemic solution which starts with the newest educational tools, an introduction to the most popular on the ground management solutions followed by mechanisms for funding and managing invasives for the long term.

Land trusts are an increasingly popular mechanism to protect private lands and conserve birds and their habitats. At the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, we believe land trusts can help birds, and birds can benefit land trusts. To develop mutually beneficial partnerships between land trusts and the bird conservation community, in collaboration with the Land Trust Alliance, we developed the Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative (www.birdtrust.org), which provides: 1) resources and tips on bird-focused funding opportunities; 2) access to science-based information about birds to inform strategic conservation, prioritization of easements and acquisitions, aid in grant writing, and help with facilitating landowner engagement; 3) ideas to cultivate new members and volunteers by connecting with birdwatchers, bird organizations, and bird conservation advocates; 4) guidance for habitat management on easements and fee-owned lands; 5) connections with science-based bird conservation resources and success stories from other land trusts; and 6) assistance with monitoring birds and visualizing data through eBird.org. Workshop participants will explore each of these six topics through presentations and expert-led discussion. The primary objectives are to: 1) teach land trust staff why birds are useful in making decisions about conservation investments, 2) demonstrate how to use birds for strategic conservation and partnership building, and 3) ultimately increase the pace, delivery, and scale of bird conservation on private lands. An eBird.org training session will teach land trusts how to use this important and free science and conservation tool to monitor birds, engage the birding community, and make planning and investment decisions.

Many land trusts own land, and for those that do, it is essential to ensure the conservation values of these lands are managed in perpetuity. Standard 12 of the Alliance's Land Trust Standards and Practices outlines the core elements of having management plans, determining the stewardship needs, tracking the costs of management, and monitoring of management plans. The course will focus on giving participants practical examples of how to implement the practices of determining land management costs, creating management plans, and how to set up financial management systems to track management costs. Having these essential elements of Standard 12 in place enables the land trust to support vibrant site communities of staff, volunteers, and engaged public participation with the management of the sites. The course leaders will share learned strategies and practical examples of recruiting core leadership for site communities, the support mechanisms needed to engage land trust members and members of the public, and to strategically align the work of site communities that directly benefit the goals of successful land management of land trust properties.

The goal of the US Clean Water Act (CWA) is consistent with that of many land trusts across the country focused on addressing water quality through land protection and management: to restore and maintain the integrity of the Nation’s waters. For this reason, collaboration across programs, from the federal to local level, can help align efforts and resources to achieve greater success in protecting water quality. This session will provide an interactive opportunity to share how existing tools and resources, like those available at EPA, can enable strategic protection of watersheds at the local level. The EPA presentation will focus specifically on CWA Section 319 and 303(d) programs, as well as the Recovery Potential Screening tool, which allows users to compare watersheds to help plan efforts for greater likelihood of restoration/protection success. The session will then feature two presentations by local land trusts that have integrated watershed assessment and protection in their work. These local partners will provide insights into how landscape assessment can be used to proactively target lands most critical in protecting water quality. They will also share local perspectives on how federal and other funding sources have been leveraged to support watershed protection. Throughout these presentations, the session moderator will prompt short discussions to encourage attendees to consider how the concepts and examples being shared may be implemented in their own programs.

In this workshop, you will learn about useful tools that help land trusts ensure long-term conservation. Participants will learn from experiences of three land trusts who use forest certification as a tool to meet and communicate stewardship goals, craft easement language, and monitor requirements. The panel will share lessons learned and highligh opportunities and challenges of using certification.

Climate change creates uncertainty about the future. One thing we can be sure of is that changes will impact the places and resources we care about. During this session, we will introduce the Alliances Land and Climate Program and present how land trusts can address climate change adaptation in their work. Walking through real-life examples from leading organizations like Kestrel Land Trust, participants will be introduced to climate actions through the lens of a conservation project life cycle including project scoping for acquisition, project development (including conservation easement drafting with climate change in mind), outreach and long-term land stewardship. We will introduce characteristics of climate resilient lands and the tools to help you evaluate resilience in your landscape. We will also introduce tools and strategies for accessing climate vulnerability and the development of sound climate-informed management actions.

This session will discuss the role that land trusts can play in conserving farmland, managing it sustainably, and securing access for the next generation of farmers as part of the growth of interest in local food systems. Presenters will share their experiences with shared-ownership models, buy-protect-sell, traditional leasing arrangements, unusual licensing arrangements, and easements intended to keep agricultural lands affordable. Management plans that incorporate natural features and sustainable agriculture will be discussed. Attendees also will hear ideas for how land trusts can translate their networks of relationships with landowners into valuable roles in the farmland access movement. The farmland/food system/land trust interface is a new place for many land trusts to be. Insight and candid lessons from the front lines will be shared.

Hurricanes Irma and María had a devastating impact on all aspects of Puerto Rican existence. In the first days after the storm, we created the Para la Naturaleza Community Fund in order to fund relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts in our neighboring communities, assist sustainable agriculture projects harmed by the storm, and jumpstart reforestation and habitat restoration across the islands. Since then, teams of Para la Naturaleza staff and volunteers have distributed thousands of cases of food, water and supplies to over 160 communities across the islands, in addition to helping clear roads, remove debris, restore damaged structures, start the restoration of our forests and the building of resilient community centers.

Many protected lands operate under a dual mandate to allow public access for outdoor recreation while also protecting native wildlife species and their habitats. Outdoor recreation provides important human health and economic benefits to local communities, but a growing body of scientific literature links recreation, including quiet, non-consumptive activities such as hiking, to negative effects on wildlife populations and communities. The overall goal of this session is to provide land and wildlife managers with science-based guidance for how to balance public access and wildlife conservation goals of protected lands. We will summarize current science on the effects of outdoor recreation on wildlife, share evidence-based recommendations for how to incorporate wildlife conservation values in public access plans, and highlight a case study of a local land trust that is planning for public access to be compatible with protecting wildlife values of a regionally significant habitat linkage. Through facilitated discussions and small group activities, participants will examine challenges, opportunities, and practical strategies for implementing best practices for balancing public access and wildlife conservation values in protected land planning and stewardship.

Water connects all of us, and as a shared value, land trusts can engage local landowners in conservation with work on the ground to bring back the brook trout, the willow flycatcher, or even restore flows to backyard streams. Learn how to connect with your community on habitat protection, water quality improvement, and land stewardship through the lens of stream restoration efforts. The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) is working to improve stream health and habitat connectivity by replacing culverts in the Upper Rappahannock watershed (part of the larger Chesapeake Bay watershed) with more fish-friendly designs. In order to prioritize projects efficiently, PEC has created the Piedmont Stream Restoration Prioritization model that integrates data related to water quality, habitat, transportation infrastructure, and land conservation, into an interactive, GIS-based online model. This model will be used to strategically plan and invest in future collaborative restoration projects that reconnects habitat for wildlife and brings clean water to communities. PEC partners with national and state agencies to work more collaboratively with public and private landowners to improve road-stream crossings throughout the Piedmont. Since 2013, PEC has been working with partners to survey the Piedmont’s headwater streams and identify barriers to fish passage, and has completed two pilot projects for trout stream restoration, reconnecting seven miles of habitat and improving water quality.

This special roundtable session is ideal for land stewardship staff and experienced volunteers. This peer-to-peer learning opportunity provides time and space for you to discuss preserve management matters. Come meet colleagues, discuss common and emerging issues with fee land stewardship, share stories of preserve management issues you are facing, help solve problems, and celebrate successes. Be prepared to be inspired and to laugh with others! This is your chance to wrap up Rally with a roundtable session especially for people who devote time and energy to managing land for their land trust.

The goal of the panel is to help land trusts understand the current opportunities and barriers to utilize forest carbon for private landowners and their fee owned lands. The panel will highlight the benefits of natural climate solutions and the role forests can play to achieve the Paris Agreement goals. Participants will hear on the ground experience from the Nature Conservancy’s Working Woodlands Program experts over the last decade. The Program started in Pennsylvania in 2009 and recently expanded to New York, Michigan and Tennessee with other geographies joining soon. Examples of projects will include the Albany Water Board and a partnership between a local land trust and The Nature Conservancy.