What is a Land Trust..

 A Land Trust is a private, community-based, non-profit organization established to protect land and water resources for the public benefit. When used in this way, the term "Trust" means the resource is made permanently safe against harmful uses. Most often, the resources under protection have natural, recreational, scenic, historic or productive value.

What is Whitewater Valley Land Trust...

 The Whitewater Valley Land Trust (WVLT) is a not-for-profit organization whose goal is to preserve the natural, historic and aesthetic values of our regional landscape. Our goal is to provide land owners with ways to perpetuate these significant aspects of their land so that future generations, including their children, grandchildren, and beyond, may continue to benefit from their foresight.

Whitewater Valley Land Trust's specific mission:
is to support the sound stewardship and enhancement of forests, wetlands, and open spaces in the Whitewater Valley by:

• Advocating the ethics of preserving family lands and open spaces for future generations;



• Providing information to land owners and our members on habitat protection and restoration;



• Identifying sensitive natural areas important to the maintenance of the natural diversity in this area; and



• Securing conservation easements, fee-simple acquisitions and other land conservation options.

To accomplish the mission of the Whitewater Valley Land Trust, Inc...

• We will promote, through education and information, the human values that protect, restore and enhance our natural landscape;
  
  
• We will help evaluate the natural area values of individual properties and identify those that are of significant value in the regional natural environment;
  
  
• We will offer information to land owners seeking means to protect their land in perpetuity;

Also, where appropriate:

• We will accept and secure conservation easements to ensure that each such grantor's/landowners wishes are adhered to in the future.
  
  
• We will accept gifts or consider, when financially possible, the fee-simple purchase of important lands whose owners see a gift or sales as the most satisfying way to ensure the lasting quality of their lands and natural areas.