BQLT Gains Land Trust Accreditation

BQLT Gains Land Trust Accreditation

The Brooklyn Queens Land Trust (BQLT) is pleased to announce we have successfully gained accreditation from The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance. The land trust accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. BQLT is now one of the four Accredited Urban Land Trusts in New York State!

Starting the process in 2022, the BQLT sought accreditation to benefit from this framework of best practices in governance, financial management, and land management; and to be in community with land trusts across the U.S.  We believe that a voluntary approach to organizational accountability and best practices will enable us to best fulfill our mission:

To ensure the conservation and preservation of open space in perpetuity, for the benefit of the general public; to act as a steward of the open space properties that BQLT owns; and to Establish a community of gardeners in Brooklyn and Queens to educate and inspire people of all ages to become successful and environmentally responsible gardeners; and to support community involvement in community gardening, neighborhood beautification, and open space enhancement through activities and programs; and to promote the interests of community gardens.

The national quality standards address the ethical and technical operation of a land trust. For the full list of standards see http://www.landtrustaccreditation.org/help-and-resources/indicator-practices.