There’s still time to sign up for this online conversation with Kingsbury Browne Fellow Steve Small about the advent and future of tax deductible conservation easement policy in the United States next Tuesday, June 20, from 11 a.m. to noon. You can register for this event HERE.

Steve Small

If you have protected farmland, forests or open space in your community, there’s a good chance you have Steve Small to thank. A legal pioneer who paved the way to make conservation easements tax-deductible in the U.S., Small wrote federal tax regulations credited with facilitating the conservation of millions of acres of private land.

He is an indefatigable source of energy and creativity for the use of easements and land conservation in America.

Small will join Jim Levitt of the Lincoln Institute and the Harvard Forest for an online dialogue regarding the history of tax deductible conservation easements over the past four decades, and the future of private open space protection in the United States. The two will also have a chance to reflect on the extensive collection of conservation related books which Small collected over the course of his career, and which he recently donated to the important collection of such volumes at Texas Tech University.

Could you use some personalized assistance with a thorny land trust issue your land trust is facing? If so you’re in luck.

The Land Trust Alliance is  offering FREE coaching sessions by telephone for board members serving on all-volunteer land trust boards (those without staff or with one part-time staff member).

Services are provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Conference call sessions with multiple board members are encouraged.

Land trust expert Donna Erickson will provide advice about board development, fundraising, monitoring easements, or other topics. Broach your questions about complying with Land Trust Standards and Practices or applying for accreditation.

Participants are expected to become members of the online group and to create a discussion forum post based on their coaching experience (e.g., one lesson learned, new idea or follow-up question) or other ideas/question/issues related to their boards’ work. This post must be completed within one month of the coaching session.

Erickson Consulting provides planning and analysis services to land trusts, including organizational assessments, accreditation preparation, and strategic planning. With extensive landscape planning experience, Erickson also assists land trusts in creating strategic land conservation plans. She also moderates the online group for all-volunteer land trusts on The Learning Center.   

To register for a coaching conversation, contact Donna by email or call (406) 370-0454 to schedule a time and to define the topic(s) your land trust wants to discuss).

Other questions? E-mail Mary Burke.