Conservancy's New York State Director Appointed to Commission Overseeing Quality of Land Conservation

New independent group created by the Land Trust Alliance will operate accreditation program for land trusts

New York, NY—February 23, 2006—Henry Tepper, Director of The Nature Conservancy's New York Chapter, was recently appointed by the Land Trust Alliance to a new commission established to ensure the quality of land conservation. Tepper is one of 13 independent commissioners named to oversee the LTA's new accreditation program for land trusts. Land Trusts are nonprofit organizations that conserve land through private agreements with landowners in their communities.

"The land trust movement in America is responsible for the conservation of 34 million acres across the country and the establishment of this commission sets the stage for a uniform set of standards. In an era of heightened scrutiny by Congress into the work of non-profit organizations, the creation of this commission ensures that the highest ethical guidelines will be applied by land trusts across the country," said Tepper.

The new organization will be called “The Land Trust Accreditation Commission: An Independent Program of the Land Trust Alliance.”

“The accreditation program is a milestone in land conservation history, ensuring the permanent protection of millions of acres of working forests, farms, ranches and natural areas across America,” said Rand Wentworth, president of LTA. “We hope this program will serve as a model of self-regulation and high legal and ethical standards for other nonprofit sectors.”

Many of these local, regional and national nonprofit land conservation organizations eagerly await the opportunity to showcase their accomplishments before the commission and receive recognition of their efforts.

Tepper previously served as the Conservancy's New Hampshire State Director, as Deputy Commissioner for Natural Resources of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and as the Executive Director of the Columbia Land Conservancy.