News from July 2008

Edmonton & Area Land Trust endowed with $2,500,000

July 8, 2008

The Edmonton & Area Land Trust is delighted to announce the creation of a generous operational endowment from the City of Edmonton. The Land Trust goals are to actively work to conserve land through donations of land or money, or through acquiring conservation easements. The Land trust works with private landowners (farmers, developers, concerned citizens and others) to help them realize their goals of protecting natural landscape values for future generations.

For the last many years, the rate of population and infrastructural growth in the Edmonton area has been extremely high, with land prices being correspondingly high, so the Land Trust will be working to develop resources to protect particularly significant lands. However, one of its biggest challenges, like that of most not-for-profits, is obtaining operational funds. In this respect, EALT is fortunate that the City of Edmonton has granted operational funds through an endowment of $2,500,000, so the interest can contribute to EALT’s ongoing operations.

The Land Trust’s goal of supporting natural area conservation was recognized at a recent City Council Protocol. Councillor Iveson indicated the Land Trust “ensures that environmental considerations factor heavily into City decision-making processes”. He further said “it is important for the City of Edmonton, along with our five partner organizations to help build a working framework for conservation planning”.

Pamela Wight, Executive Director of EALT, particularly recognizes that the City’s endowment is instrumental in enabling the fledgling organization to focus on its core activities. She replied on behalf of the Board “we wish to sincerely thank Council for its generosity in giving the Land Trust $2.5 million, and to applaud your insight in providing this as an endowment for operations. We’ll be able to use the interest on these monies in perpetuity, to work with the City and other partners, to protect our important natural areas, and to preserve this legacy for all citizens of Edmonton and the wider region”. As a token of thanks, and recognising the regional nature of the Land Trust’s efforts, all members of Council were provided with a book published by the Edmonton Nature Club, “Nature Walks and Sunday Drives”, which describes some of the magnificent natural areas within Edmonton and the surrounding municipalities.

The Land Trust is a not-for-profit natural areas conservation initiative established by 6 founding members: the City of Edmonton, Land Stewardship Centre of Canada, Legacy Lands Conservation Society, Edmonton Community Foundation, Urban Development Institute, and Edmonton Nature Club. These founding groups, supported by a strong community interest, identified the need for a charitable land trust to assist in natural areas conservation within Edmonton and the surrounding areas.

Wight hopes that the Land Trust will develop a range of formal and informal partners and supporters in the region, who could choose to be involved through various types of volunteer activities, advocacy, technical expertise, donations of land or money, or other types of support. Ms Wight is most interested in hearing from municipalities, organizations, or individuals with similar conservation goals and interests.

Edmonton and Area Land Trust