Dear Friend,

We've had some great news this year - our most recent census shows land trusts doing terrific work across America, and we persuaded Congress to pass a new tax incentive that is already accelerating the pace of land conservation. But we will need to make that change in the tax code permanent in 2007.

We are gearing up for many new challenges next year. Last week, the Land Trust Alliance argued in federal appeals court against the IRS interpretation that threatens the validity of thousands of easements across the country, and it's a case we must win.

We need your financial support to succeed in the fight for land conservation both in Congress and in the courts. Please consider a generous gift to the Alliance this year-end.

Rand Wentworth President, Land Trust Alliance

Important Conservation Easement Tax Law Case

Learn more about this case and others

37 Million Acres Protected

So far the 2005 Census press release has been picked up in over 50 newspapers across the country, including the front pages of USA Today and the Chronicle of Philanthropy!  Thanks to the help of many land trusts, we also placed articles in Charleston, Pittsburgh, Denver, Los Angeles and several wire services with an estimated total circulation of 40.5 million.
Read the full report, see the press kit and more on our website. See complete list of media coverage.

Easement Appraisal Course

In early spring 2007, appraisers will be able to take a 3-5 day certificate course on conservation easement appraisals. This new course, part of a memorandum of understanding signed by the Alliance and the nation’s three leading appraiser groups, is designed to help appraisers meet the new requirements. We are encouraging the IRS to review it. Press Release

Meanwhile, we are revising our book on appraising easements, and will offer a half-day course on the appraisal process for land trusts next year. We’ve also added a new “Find an Appraiser” feature to our website.

Funding for Land Trusts and Biodiversity

The Living Lands project provides funding for pilot projects that encourage local land trusts to increase their capacity to engage in biodiversity conservation. Land trusts may apply for up to $10,000. Deadline: December 15. More information

To take advantage of this kind of opportunity in the future, sign up for e-mail updates at livinglands@defenders.org.

Closing Deal Tips

The end of the year crunch is coming up and many land trusts will be finalizing conservation easements in the next few weeks. Here is a sample easement donation pre-closing checklist (MS Word) from the Vermont Land Trust, part of standard 9: Ensuring Sound Transactions. Find this and many other great resources on LTAnet, our members-only digital library.

Strategic Conservation Success Story

When we last covered the Deschutes Basin Land Trust in 2003, they had recently completed a purchase of the Metolius Preserve, a 1,240-acre tract of critically important forest habitat. More recently, they protected the stunning 1,120-acre Rimrock Ranch. All of this is part of their successful strategic conservation campaign, Back to Home Waters, that originated in 2000.	Courtesy of Deschutes Basin Land Trust
Read the complete article

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Land Trust Alliance
1331 H St NW, Suite 400 Washington DC 20005
phone: (202) 638-4725, fax: (202) 638-4730
www.lta.org | eNews@lta.org

The Land Trust Alliance promotes voluntary land conservation and strengthens the land trust movement by providing the leadership, information, skills and resources land trusts need to conserve land for the benefit of communities and natural systems.