Alliance of Canadian Land Trusts
ACLT was established in 2022 through the work of the Land Trust Alliance of British Columbia (LTABC), Ontario Land Trust Alliance (OLTA), and Réseau de milieux naturels protégés (RMN) along with the Canadian Land Trust Working Group (CLTWG) and other partners, including prairie and maritime land trusts. Together we are committed to helping Canada reach its goals on protected areas, biodiversity, and climate change.
In 2017, regional land trust alliances and many land trusts from across Canada established the Canadian Land Trust Working Group (CLTWG). In 2020, the CLTWG appointed a National Organization Working Group to gain support among Canadian land trusts for a national organization that would represent land trusts across Canada at the federal level. With the view of securing the strongest possible future for Canadian land trusts, the National Organization Working Group (NOWG), with representatives from the Land Trust Alliance of British Columbia; the Réseau de milieux naturels protégés, Ontario Land Trust Alliance, as well as representatives from Maritime and Ontario land trusts, together with support from the Canadian Land Trust Working Group, made up of land trusts from across Canada, have determined the merits and feasibility of unifying provincial and individual organizations under a newly created national body, Alliance of Canadian Land Trusts (ACLT). The national land trust is now an incorporated not-for-profit, charitable organization whose purpose is to represent Canadian regional and community land trusts at the national level.
Land Trust Alliance of British Columbia
LTABC was founded in 1997 and offers conservation training and networking events which provide an opportunity for dialogue and learning on topics from stewardship to environmental trends, fundraising and species at risk. LTABC also provides educational support to regional networks and professionals associated with land conservation much of which is available on the Conservation Toolkit platform. LTABC publishes a monthly e-news which promotes the work of their land trust members and also features event listings, conservation success stories, and employment and funding opportunities.
LTABC has completed research projects including Monitoring of Conservation Lands across Canada, Measuring the Economic Benefits of Natural Areas, and Property Assessment Values on Conservation Lands. The Alliance has produced many publications supporting land trusts including Greening Your Title (A Guide to Conservation Covenants), Green Legacies (Planned Giving) and most recently its 25th Anniversary Almanac.
LTABC’s published resources are extensive, ranging from the award-winning Islands in the Salish Sea Community Atlas, CDs on Baseline Inventories and Template documents, to a series of public Conservation Info kits and brochures. They also provide their members with services, including a group insurance program and employee benefits program. The Alliance has a voluntary on-line self assessment tool for the Canadian Land Trust Standards & Practices which is available to member land trusts.
Ontario Land Trust Alliance
The OLTA, established in 1997, promotes excellence in land conservation throughout its land trust member network by providing professional support and assistance, securing funding, promoting organizational excellence and representing the collective voice of the land trusts. OLTA works to advance overall excellence in community land conservation in Ontario as a nonpartisan and independent organization that promotes best practices and organizational excellence. It aggregates and shares land trust data and partners in research and education to contribute to conservation planning expertise. It also continues to operate and expand as a trusted funding program administrator to support the sector.
The OLTA also facilitates many learning and education opportunities for their members as well as the public.
Réseau de milieux naturels protégés
Réseau de milieu naturels protégés (RMN) was created in 1993 as a non-profit organization in order to give a collective voice to the private conservation sector. Prior to that, seven organizations made up the “Regroupement des organismes propriétaires de milieux naturels protégés du Québec”. Together, they developed new conservation practices in Québec and worked on crucial issues such as tax law, land use planning, and increasing funding for conservation organizations.
Since then, the conservation world has continued to evolve. With increased interest in protecting privately owned land, there came a greater need for capacity building services in the conservation sector. Numerous new conservation organizations began to form and joined forces with RMN, building a strong collaborative network. In 2004, the Réseau de milieux naturels protégés was created as we know it today. Building momentum in the beginning of the millennium, RMN continued to expand its expertise while its members increased their conservation land acquisitions. Along with their support, experience and knowledge, RMN refined conservation techniques, management practices and stewardship capacities.
These days, individuals also engage in private land conservation agreements and new conservation bodies are being established more frequently. Thanks to the efforts of these groups working with local governments, municipalities are now actively engaging more and more in protecting the environment in their jurisdictions.
RMN currently represents the majority of Québec’s conservation organizations, also known as land trusts, and a great number of other conservation actors and local governing bodies. We focus our efforts on preserving our natural heritage since natural spaces contribute to a healthy lifestyle and provide economic, social, and environmental services to our communities. Our mission is to protect these environments by promoting and encouraging the voluntary conservation movement Québec. In doing so, we ensure that conservation concerns are communicated publicly and prioritized by our governments, as well as assisting people interested in conservation and developing financial aid programs.