Mission and Goals
OUR VISION
To create a fund from public and private donations large enough to sustain recurring preservation activity throughout North America, or even beyond. The goal is to build this fund as a decisive weapon in the dynamic fight to defeat unrestricted profit-motivated development in order to save worthy open space, agricultural land, natural resources and historic areas. ”Worthy” will be measured by community involvement as a barometer of the impact those preservation efforts have on real people. Money will be used from the fund and then replenished when the local community steps in as the natural stewards and beneficiaries of the preservation effort. The vision is to create a fund that can be used as a vehicle so that anyone, anywhere can emerge into a landscape that is just as much or more alive than they are.
OUR CORE BELIEF
We believe that conservation and preservation of natural and organic spaces is vital to the physical, emotional and spiritual health and well-being of individuals and communities and that the human condition and society depend on the ability of every individual to meaningfully and regularly interact with a living landscape. Land conservation, preservation and use of smart-growth principles are the most effective ways to provide this interaction and to ensure its longevity by safeguarding wildlife habitat, scenic views, wetlands, sensitive watershed parcels, forests, farm land, greenways, and other valuable open spaces from development and permanent loss.
OUR MISSION
To conserve and preserve open spaces, farm land, historic architecture and natural resources so that everyone may enjoy them, now and forever. Swift action is the cornerstone of implementing our mission.
When opportunities for land conservation arise, financial and legal resources are often needed on very short notice. Local land trusts and stewards often miss out on important preservation opportunities because they lack immediate access to money or legal assistance, and national land trust organizations are not always able to react quickly.
The LCA Trust can respond with emergency funding and legal assistance in these situations—often making resources available within 24 hours.
OUR GOAL
The goal of the LCA Trust is to grow through contributions and donations, and to replenish disbursements through at-cost transfers of land and conservation easements from local organizations.
LCA Trust assets will be disbursed in order to:
- Preserve and/or restore open spaces, natural areas and their resources.
- Promote smart-growth ideals which aid in conservation efforts.
- Protect flood plains, wetlands and waterways.
- Preserve land for scenic/aesthetic value and recreational use; wildlife habitats, corridors and greenways; and fragile ecosystems.
- Protect and preserve historic buildings, sites, structures and other architecture.
- Protect lands that being used for farming or pasture so that such uses can continue.
- Enhance access to public lands and promote the integration of public lands into living communities.
- Utilize undeveloped urban land for spatial definition of urban areas
- Contain the threat of urban and suburban sprawl.
OUR GENESIS
During 18 years as an attorney for real estate developers and landowners, LCAT’s founder, Steve Meltzer, learned some important lessons:
- Valuable open spaces are falling victim to sprawl and over-development at an alarming rate.
- Real estate development decisions are motivated by profit.
- Profit and land preservation ideals can rarely coexist.
- Financial strenght is a (and perhaps the) great equalizer.
Steve was so often frustrated watching local land interests struggle to raise funds on short notice to protect important natural areas from development and decided, because of his background, heI was uniquely qualified, and was compelled to do something about it. After considerable research, including a national survey of over 1,000 land trust organizations, Steve definitively concluded that there was an acute need for access to immediate funds for preservation on short notice.
On September 5, 2008, the Land Conservation and Advocacy Trust was formed to take up the challenge, to level the financial playing field when competing with developers for land parcels, and, ultimately enhance the ability of every individual to meaningfully and regularly interact with a living landscape.
