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Grant strengthens work of Kettle Moraine Land Trust

ELKHORN — The Kettle Moraine Land Trust will be able to expand its relationships with other land trust thanks to a grant supported by Gathering Waters Conservancy and the Land Trust Alliance.

The capacity-building grant as part of the Wisconsin Land Trust Excellence & Advancement Program (LEAP). The LEAP program is supported by Gathering Waters Conservancy and the Land Trust Alliance.

Gathering Waters Conservancy's goal is to support and strengthen land trusts in Wisconsin.

Similarly, the Land Trust Alliance aims to build strong, respected land trusts; increase land trusts' ability to save more land strategically; and enable trusts to meet their obligations to their communities to protect land in perpetuity.

Together these two organizations are supporting the LEAP program and have selected only six Wisconsin land trusts to participate this year.

"We are thrilled to be able to work in partnership with Kettle Moraine Land Trust to help prepare this organization for national Land Trust Accreditation. Only 130 of the 1700 land trusts across the country have been accredited, including one land trust in Wisconsin. Kettle Moraine Land Trust's board and staff have shown a dedication to excellence and advancing the organization forward." Johanna Garsenstein, Chicago project manager, Land Trust Alliance, was quoted as saying in a news release.

Through the capacity building grant, Kettle Moraine Land Trust will:

* Strengthen its operations and continue to build expertise in permanent land conservation;

* Build advantageous relationships with other land trusts and conservation organizations;

* Strategically plan collaborative conservation actions so that priority lands and water resources may be protected.

Kettle Moraine Land Trust staff and directors will be receiving customized consultation and technical assistance through the grant award. "We're honored to be receiving these services and look forward to reaching our goals, including national land trust accreditation, through LEAP," adds Jerry Petersen, Kettle Moraine Land Trust board president.

Wisconsin land trusts play an essential role in protecting the state's natural and working lands. From Great Lakes shoreline to prairies and trails, from forest lands and farms to kettle lakes and scenic landscapes, land trusts work cooperatively with Wisconsin's landowners to protect our most important resources.

More information about Kettle Moraine Land Trust can be found at: kmlandtrust.org

The LEAP Program is supported by: The C.S. Mott Foundation, the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation , the Forest County Potawatomi Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and Wisconsin Energy Foundation.