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Forest Society of Maine earns national recognition 

One thing that unites us as a nation is land: Americans, and especially Mainers, strongly support conserving the open spaces they love. Forest Society of Maine (FSM) has been permanently conserving Maine’s forestlands for people and wildlife for more than three decades. This week FSM proudly announced it has renewed its land trust accreditation showing its commitment to professional excellence and maintaining the public’s trust in its conservation work. One of the first land trusts in Maine to first earn accreditation back in 2009, FSM has maintained this mark of distinction ever since.

 

The Forest Society of Maine provided extensive documentation and was subject to a comprehensive third-party evaluation prior to achieving this distinction. In awarding renewed accreditation, the Land Trust Accreditation Commission signifies its confidence that FSM’s lands will be protected forever. Accredited land trusts, throughout the country, now steward almost 20 million acres — of which FSM is responsible for an astounding 5 percent.

 

Karin Tilberg, executive director of the Forest Society of Maine, is pleased the organization has received renewal saying, “LTA Accreditation status gives landowners, partners, and the public a high degree of confidence in our efforts to bring permanent conservation to Maine’s forests. Our easements are forever and the LTA standards and practices help ensure they will stand the test of time.”

 

Since its founding in 1984 with a conservation project in Attean Township, FSM has helped to conserve nearly one million acres of forestland ranging from family-owned parcels such as woodlots in Porter, to partnerships with other land trusts such as The Nature Conservancy and Downeast Lakes Land Trust, to large, complex transactions with private landowners in Maine’s North Woods. Examples of these projects include the Moosehead Region Conservation Easement, the West Branch of the Penobscot and land around Silver Lake in the Katahdin Iron Works region. Currently, FSM is working to conserve nearly 30,000 acres in western Maine as part of two projects in Grafton and Coburn Gore Townships.

 

“It is exciting to recognize Forest Society of Maine’s continued commitment to national standards by renewing this national mark of distinction,” said Melissa Kalvestrand, executive director of the Commission. “Donors and partners can trust the more than 400 accredited land trusts across the country are united behind strong standards and have demonstrated sound finances, ethical conduct, responsible governance, and lasting stewardship.”

 

The Land Trust Alliance’s most recent National Land Trust Census documented 1,363 land trusts across the United States. The Forest Society of Maine is proud to be part of the approximately 400 that have achieved accreditation. A complete list of accredited land trusts and more information about the process and benefits can be found at www.landtrustaccreditation.org.

 

About the Forest Society of Maine — The Forest Society of Maine is a nonprofit statewide land trust that has helped to conserve nearly 1,000,000 acres across Maine’s North Woods for their many ecological, recreational, cultural, and economic values. Learn more about FSM’s work at fsmaine.org

 

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.

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