Valley Conservation Council, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, seeks public comment related to its application for accreditation with the Land Trust Accreditation Commission.
Valley Conservation Council works to protect the farms, forests, open spaces, and cultural heritage of its service region, which extends from Botetourt County at the southern end to Frederick County to the north, and west to Bath, Alleghany, and Highland Counties.
Established in 1990, the organization has played a role in protecting tens of thousands of acres of land through conservation agreements with private landowners. The easements VCC holds or has facilitated were designed to protect natural values such as watershed protection, wildlife habitat, and the rural landscape, while simultaneously providing landowners with the resources needed to pass land on to the next generation, to protect additional land, or to improve farming practices on their properties.
While supporters of VCC are familiar with the organization’s achievements over nearly three decades, VCC’s Board of Directors and staff now seek formal recognition for the organization’s ongoing commitment to protecting the natural, cultural, and agricultural resources of the Shenandoah Valley.
In early August, VCC was invited by Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, to submit an application for accreditation. The land trust accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever, and ensures that land trusts such as VCC are managed ethically, efficiently, and effectively.
The Commission invites public input and accepts signed, written comments on pending applications related to how Valley Conservation Council complies with national quality standards.
For more information about Valley Conservation Council and how to submit comments related to the organization’s application for accreditation, visit valleyconservation.org/applying-for-accreditation/ or call the VCC office at 540-886-3541.
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