Lyme Land Trust earns national recognition

LYME — The Lyme Land Trust has been protecting open space in Lyme since 1966. In August, the land trust was awarded renewal of accreditation by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. This distinguished award signifies that the Lyme Land Trust has demonstrated, as part of a network of over 400 accredited land trusts, that it is committed to professional excellence and to maintaining the public’s trust in its conservation work, according to a statement. The land trust first earned accreditation in December 2014, after being carefully vetted and certified to meet the highest standards of excellence. The granting of renewal affirms the Land Trust’s ongoing commitment to permanent protection of its conserved lands. Accredited land trusts now steward almost 20 million acres – the size of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island combined, according to the statement.

Lyme Land Trust protects more than 3,124 acres. For public access, it hosts more than 13 miles of trails on 651 acres. In addition, the trust manages over 70 private conservation easements. Popular preserves like Banningwood and Brockway-Hawthorne will be protected forever, making Lyme a great place for lovers of open space. For more information and for trail maps of our preserves, go to: lymelandtrust.org

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