Buffalo Niagara River Land Trust earns national recognition

Submitted by the Buffalo Niagara River Land Trust

One thing that unites us as a nation is land: Americans strongly support saving the open spaces they love. Since 2012, the Buffalo Niagara River Land Trust has been doing just that for the people of Western New York. Now the Buffalo Niagara River Land Trust announces it has achieved national recognition – joining a network of over 450 accredited land trusts across the nation that have demonstrated their commitment to professional excellence and to maintaining the public’s trust in their work.

“Accreditation demonstrates the Buffalo Niagara River Land Trust’s commitment to permanent land conservation in Western New York,” said Daniel Riker, board president. “We are a stronger organization for having gone through the rigorous accreditation program. Our strength means special places – along WNY waterways – will be protected forever, making this an even greater place for us and our children.”

The Buffalo Niagara River Land Trust provided extensive documentation and was subject to a comprehensive third-party evaluation prior to achieving this distinction. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission awarded accreditation, signifying its confidence that the Buffalo Niagara River Land Trust’s lands will be protected forever. Accredited land trusts steward almost 20 million acres of land – the size of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island combined.

Currently, the Buffalo Niagara River Land Trust owns or holds conservation easements on about 62 acres in Western New York with plans to add more than 45 in 2024. The flagship property is at 1660 Niagara St., Buffalo; Houghton Conservation Area in Buffalo’s Kaisertown area; and Cayuga Creek in Niagara Falls.

“It is exciting to recognize the Buffalo Niagara River Land Trust with this national mark of distinction,” said Melissa Kalvestrand, executive director of the commission. “Donors and partners can trust the more than 450 accredited land trusts across the country are united behind strong standards and have demonstrated sound finances, ethical conduct, responsible governance, and lasting stewardship.”

The Buffalo Niagara River Land Trust is one of 1,363 land trusts across the U.S. according to the Land Trust Alliance’s most recent national land trust census. A complete list of accredited land trusts and more information about the process and benefits can be found at www.landtrustaccreditation.org.

More About the Buffalo Niagara River Land Trust

The Buffalo Niagara River Land Trust was established in 2012 to enhance, preserve and protect shoreline properties located along the waterways of Western New York. Its mission is to acquire, remediate and manage potentially contaminated lands along Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the Niagara River, and their tributaries for ecological protection and to improve public access to the water and waterfront. As a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, these efforts are intended to help create a truly connected system of public waterfront sites, by acquiring waterfront lands to link existing public sites, provide for new passive and active public access sites in underserved areas, and undertake environmental remediation and ecological restoration projects.

More About the Land Trust Accreditation Commission

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission inspires excellence, promotes public trust and ensures permanence in the conservation of open lands by recognizing organizations that meet rigorous quality standards and strive for continuous improvement. The commission, established in 2006 as an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, is governed by a volunteer board of diverse land conservation and nonprofit management experts. For more, visit www.landtrustaccreditation.org.