- Founded in 1977, the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) is one of the most effective land trusts in the country. Its primary focus is on permanently conserving productive, recreational, and scenic lands vital to Vermont's and rural economy and environment.
- VLT has helped landowners in communities throughout Vermont, to permanently protect more than 470,000 acres— almost 8 percent of Vermont’s privately-owned land.
- Using a legal document called a conservation easement, VLT helps landowners and groups voluntarily limit development on their land -- while keeping it available for farming, forestry, and recreational enjoyment.
- VLT's Conservation Stewardship Program is responsible for the long-term monitoring of conservation easements to ensure that the conservation goals are upheld in perpetuity.
- "VLT is a private, nonprofit land conservation organization (not a state agency). VLT relies on private donations and membership dues for a third of its operating budget. The balance of our income comes from fees for VLT technical assistance, foundation and state grants, capital gifts, and interest income from our reserves and endowments.
| - VLT operates offices throughout the state to provide professional conservation expertise at the local level.
- VLT provides legal, technical, mapping, stewardship, and financial support to communities, local, and regional land trusts,
and state agencies to help them achieve their conservation priorities.
- VLT generally does not own land -- occasionally VLT will acquire and resell property subject to conservation restrictions. Landowners who sell or donate conservation easements to VLT continue to own and manage their land.
- VLT has conserved more than 639 farms totaling over 150,000 acres. Most agricultural projects received funding from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) and private foundations.
- "VLT leverages $2-3 dollars of private and in-kind support for every public tax dollar invested in farmland conservation."
- Approximately 4,000 donors (71% of whom live in Vermont) contributed more than $880,000 in unrestricted funds last year. More than 92% of VLT's total budget is expended directly for land protection.
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Questions and Answers updated December 7, 2007 |
