Mississippi Valley Conservancy fully accredited

On August 16, 2023, our renewed status as an accredited land trust was approved by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, originally approved the Conservancy’s accreditation in February, 2012.

“Accredited land trusts meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever,” says Commission Executive Director Tammara Van Ryn. “The accreditation seal lets the public know that the accredited land trust has undergone an extensive, external review of the governance and management of its organization and the systems and policies it uses to protect land.”

“Mississippi Valley Conservancy’s continued accredited status demonstrates our commitment to permanent land conservation,” said board president Gretchen Pfeiffer. “Our land trust is a stronger organization today having gone through the accreditation program.”

“Achieving and maintaining accreditation is a lengthy and rigorous process, but it is well worth the effort,” said executive director Carol Abrahamzon. “It’s helpful to have national land trust experts provide an outside perspective in scrutinizing numerous aspects of our policies and operations. We feel we owe it to the landowners with whom we work, and our other supporters, to go through this process.”

Our achievements as an accredited land trust are further exemplified by the state’s Land Trust of the Year award in 2008. We were recognized for our work in conserving more than 3,000 acres of western Wisconsin land in 2007, along with many other accomplishments in preceding years. Today, we protect more than 26,000 acres in southwest Wisconsin.

We have also been recognized for our conservation leadership through the following achievement awards:

• La Crosse County Conservation Alliance—Conservation Project of the Year for Bat Habitat Protection 2018
• La Crosse County Conservation Alliance—Conservation Organization of the Year 2016
• Regional Emmy for Topical Documentary, Mysteries of the Driftless  2013–2014
• ClearMark Award of Distinction 2013
• Communicator Award of Distinction 2013
• National Land Trust Accreditation 2012
• Friend of Conservation – Outstanding Organization—Wisconsin 2009
• Conservation Organization of the Year—La Crosse County 2008
• Land Trust of the Year—Wisconsin 2008

Learn more about the value of working with an accredited land trust: