Background Selection criteria are a key component of a land protection program. Criteria are the rough screens that a land trust uses to assess land conservation projects at the outset. Criteria may evaluate a project’s location, size or resource values. This practice clarifies that the criteria should reflect the organization’s…

A. Strategic Conservation Planning Background The land trust has identified specific natural, cultural or geographic areas where it will focus its work and may identify priority themes or sites within those focus areas. Land trusts must engage in various levels of conservation planning. Planning should start with a strategic or…

Background All volunteers and employees deserve to work in a safe work environment. It is the land trusts responsibility to provide a safe work environment and to identify all hazards that may be present.

Background Staff help provide organizations with capacity to take on certain projects and with specific technical skills. When hiring staff, written job descriptions are important. The process of writing a job description helps evaluate whether the duties assigned to that person are reasonable. Job descriptions protect employees, outlining what is…

Background It is important that land trusts have a procedure set in place for continuity of leadership. So that in the case that there sudden is a leadership change or an unexpected absence there are procedures and guidelines to ensure the smooth operation of the land trust.

Background Consultants and contractors can provide important skills to a land trust. Contractor relationships and deliverables should be clearly delineated; it is often helpful to define this relationship through a written contract. If a contractor is assuming many of the roles of a staff person, the land trust should clarify…

Background Volunteers provide tremendous benefits to a land trust and may be one of the organization’s strongest assets. In many organizations, they perform the work that would otherwise be done by paid staff. In other organizations, they reduce the workload on staff and dramatically expand a land trust’s capacity. If…

A. Capacity Background A land trust must have enough knowledgeable and dependable assistance to carry out its programs, no matter what its level of activity. A land trust needs to be sure not only that it can undertake the necessary work of the land trust today, but also that it…

Background Every land trust should regularly assess its risks and evaluate risk management options. This may involve inventorying potential hazards on and potential risks involved with uses of land trust properties, reviewing provincial liability and protective laws, setting up a procedure to document and review every injury or potential claim…

Background Internal controls are a system of checks and balances that keeps any one person from having complete control over a financial transaction. Proper internal controls are crucial, not only to help protect the organization against theft, fraud and loss due to unethical or illegal behavior, but also to inspire…