High praise in the high desert

We’ve been celebrating some big wins within our small organization, but achieving Land Trust Accreditation has us cheering from the mountaintops! Our staff and partners work daily to ensure Oregon’s high desert is home to interconnected wild and working lands that benefit people and wildlife for future generations. This national award declares our efforts and organization will withstand the tests of time.

One thing that unites people is land, regardless of backgrounds or beliefs. Communities across the U.S. strongly support nurturing and protecting open spaces they love for perpetuity. Since 2017, the conservation efforts of Oregon Desert Land Trust (ODLT) have been fueled by communities with a shared vision and passion for this unique and often overlooked area. Becoming nationally accredited certifies we’re on the right track and are positioned to make positive impacts for generations to come.

ODLT exists to conserve and connect areas that contribute to wildlife habitat, cultural preservation, rangeland health, and recreational access across Oregon’s high desert. We are committed to best practices that ensure the conservation of natural areas and the preservation of this region’s rich history and culture will be sustained into the future. Land Trust Accreditation is only awarded to land trusts meeting the highest national standards for excellence and conservation permanence. It requires a rigorous review process to demonstrate strong ethical practices to the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, and is something to celebrate both within the organization and throughout the high desert.

“It is exciting to recognize Oregon Desert Land Trust
with this national mark of distinction,”

Melissa Kalvestrand

Land Trust Accreditation Commission Executive Director

In February, the Commission awarded ODLT full accreditation, signifying its confidence that ODLT lands will be conserved forever. This applies to more than 20,000 acres that ODLT currently stewards, as well as any future lands that ODLT conserves.

“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,” explained Melissa. ODLT joins these accredited land trusts that steward nearly 20 million acres of land – the size of Denali, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Everglades and Yosemite National Parks combined. These land trusts all share the same seal for conservation excellence.

“It puts us on the map,” said Helen Harbin, ODLT Board Secretary/Treasurer. “It demonstrates that we’re professional, serious and trustworthy players in conservation.”

Helen has helped ODLT with organizational stability since our founding and was instrumental in the application process. She believes this is a significant step for sustaining operations and for gaining trust from partners and supporters of our work.

“As a land trust, part of what we’re out to do is be enduring, to continue this conservation far into the future. You need to have sound practices so that you don’t stumble and you need to have processes and structures in place so the work isn’t solely dependent on the people who are here today. We are building structures to make this all last.”

Helen Harbin

ODLT Board Secretary/Treasurer

For nearly a year, extensive documentation was provided to the LTA Commission so they could complete this comprehensive third-party evaluation. Thankfully, ODLT intended to secure accreditation from the day the organization was founded in 2017 and we have continually consulted experts in the Pacific Northwest about best practices for land trusts. Still, the thorough process helped us examine all internal systems and create protocols that strengthen financial systems, ethical conduct, responsible governance, and lasting land stewardship for natural places and working lands across the region.

“The Accreditation process touched on every function of ODLT,” recalled Helen. “It made us review the employee manual, everything related to money, such as becoming more rigorous about how to make decisions with compensation, property and equipment, budgeting and insurance. It made us review procedures and policies and clarify which are being done by staff, by board members and really differentiate between governance and operations.”

ODLT works within a 12-million acre landscape and prioritizes conservation areas with large amounts of public lands, springs, wet meadows and streams, and greater-grouse habitat. With such a large-scale service area and ongoing restoration projects, strategic planning is vital to align with our goals.

Our long-range vision of success includes ensuring that our projects serve as the gold standard for land stewardship and provide frameworks to improve climate resilience, wildlife connectivity, habitat restoration, innovative grazing practices, cultural preservation, and public access across Oregon’s high desert. Through partnerships with Tribes, landowners, land managers, and others who care about Oregon’s high desert, we aim to be recognized as a good neighbor who contributes to local communities and economies throughout the region.

Proper planning and mindful collaborations help us reach these goals. It can also be reassuring to a neighbor, partner, land owner, donor, board member or employee to know that what is happening at the land trust today will continue far into the future and that board or staff transitions will not compromise the long-term work. That’s what accreditation ensures.

Helen notes, “I’m a believer in the power of accountability and transparency. You have to have good information that’s up to date, very specific and a good source for all of our varying needs and parties. People are entrusting their money to this organization with the faith that it will be applied to our mission. Governance is the board making sure we are pursuing the mission fully, effectively, prudently and hopefully with some innovation.”

Helen is thrilled to have achieved accreditation and doesn’t have any lingering doubts about the financial function or stewardship practices of ODLT before transitioning from her role and handing the Secretary/Treasurer role on to her successor. She hopes this certification also assures others that we’re doing work in the right way and gives them confidence to donate generously to support ODLT’s ongoing work.

Feature image: The approach to Hart Mountain Canyon — Mark Darnell

Published May, 2024

Learn More

Watch a video on the value of accreditation and hear how land trusts feel it strengthens their efforts and impact:
Read this flyer on the value of accreditation with data on how accredited land trusts save more land, raise more money, and are better positioned to protect, defend and steward land.
Find out more about the Land Trust Accreditation Commission that formed in 2006.
Review the standards and practices for national accreditation that include ethical and technical guidelines for the responsible operation of a Land Trust
Discover how the Land Trust Alliance works passionately with land trusts so they can secure more land for future generations.