Kaniksu Land Trust earns national recognition
The Bull River conservation agreement was completed in December 2021. The easement area encompasses 43.68 acres of undeveloped rural property, and includes a mixture of upland forest, wetland meadow, and riparian corridor along Bull River and East Fork Bull River. The land agreement will help to ensure sustainable forestry and to encourage restoration activities while preserving a significant wildlife corridor providing connectivity across the Bull River Valley
SANDPOINT — Since 2002, Kaniksu Land Trust has been preserving the open spaces of North Idaho and western Montana.
Wednesday, KLT officials announced they had completed the process to renew its land trust accreditation.
“Renewing our accreditation is a rigorous process, but it is a critical part of KLT’s ongoing work and our commitment to the communities that we serve,” KLT Executive Director Katie Cox said. “The accreditation renewal process symbolizes our strength as an organization and a community committed to the values of conservation, and confirms our ability to protect places special to all of us, forever.”
KLT provided extensive documentation and was subject to a comprehensive third-party evaluation prior to achieving this distinction. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission awarded renewed accreditation, signifying its confidence that KLT’s lands will be protected forever. Accredited land trusts now steward almost 20 million acres — the size of Denali, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Everglades and Yosemite National Parks combined.
KLT works with land owners to establish conservation agreements to protect the land for future generations. The nonprofit organization also owns and manages two public access properties, Cabinet View Nature Area and Pine Street Woods. The latter serving more than 20,000 visitors in 2020. KLT has completed more than 30 conservation projects, protecting nearly 4,000 acres in Idaho and Montana.
"It is exciting to recognize Kaniksu Land Trust’s continued commitment to national standards by renewing this national mark of distinction," Melissa Kalvestrand, commission executive director, said. "Donors and partners can trust the more than 450 accredited land trusts across the country are united behind strong standards and have demonstrated sound finances, ethical conduct, responsible governance, and lasting stewardship."
According to the Land Trust Alliance's most recent National Land Trust Census, there are a total of 1,363 land trusts in the United States. KLT is part of a network of over 450 accredited land trusts across the nation. A complete list of accredited land trusts and more information about the process and benefits can be found at www.landtrustaccreditation.org.