Kawartha Land Trust is proud to be among the first land trusts in Canada to achieve Conservation Excellence Certification from the Centre for Land Conservation.
On March 20th, the Centre for Land Conservation (CLC) announced the first Canadian land trusts to achieve Conservation Excellence Certification, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of Canada’s land conservation sector.
Kawartha Land Trust is part of the first cohort of organizations to receive Conservation Excellence Certification in Canada. The other land trusts include Couchiching Conservancy, Ontario; Haliburton Highlands Land Trust, Ontario; Nature Trust of New Brunswick, New Brunswick; Ontario Farmland Trust, Ontario; and Southern Interior Land Trust Society, British Columbia.
The Conservation Excellence Certification Program, which is based on the Canadian Land Trust Standards and Practices (CLTSPs), promotes conservation excellence through third-party evaluation of conservation impact, governance, and organizational sustainability against nationally adopted standards and practices.
“This certification represents a watershed moment for land conservation in Canada,” said Lara Ellis, Executive Director of the Centre for Land Conservation. “These six organizations have demonstrated exceptional commitment to conservation excellence. Their certification signals to donors, partners, and communities that they operate at the highest levels of professional practice and conservation impact.”
Protected natural areas are essential to the quality of life of Canadians, providing wildlife habitat and places for recreation, connecting people with nature in their communities, conserving vital biodiversity, and serving as natural carbon sinks that help mitigate climate change impacts.
“Kawartha Land Trust (KLT) is honoured to be among the first land trusts in Canada to receive Conservation Excellence Certification from the Centre for Land Conservation (CLC),” said Anna Lee, KLT’s Director of People and Operations.
“KLT remains committed to meeting and exceeding the highest standards in conservation, and we’re grateful to be part of a growing community of land trusts in Canada working to protect and care for the natural and working lands that sustain us.”
This program has been made possible due to financial contributions from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), the McLean Foundation, Power Corporation of Canada, the Echo Foundation and The Michael Young Family Foundation.
