LAND CONSERVATION NEWS 11/1/13
Issue Number 227
Georgia Environmental Finance Authority proposes changes to Georgia Land
Conservation Program: Earlier this year, Senator Ross Tolleson and others introduced
legislation to establish the Georgia Legacy Program. The bill, S.B. 210, passed the Senate
Natural Resources Committee; it awaits further action in the 2014 session (see Land
Conservation News 3/4/13). At its October 25 meeting, the Georgia Land Conservation
Council endorsed a number of proposed changes to the legislation. The recommendations
include changes to:
 the Land Council composition (designating the DNR Commissioner as Vicechairperson and adding the Department of Agriculture Commissioner to the
Council);
 The Council’s meeting frequency (once a year; more at the discretion of the
Chair with public notice);
 The definition of a non-government organization (to be defined by articles of
incorporation and bylaws);
 The definition of permanent protection (subject to contractual arrangements; if
necessary, replacement must be of equal or greater monetary value and resource
protection value); and
 Eligible project expenses (remove holding and other costs).
Job Opening at the Mountain Conservation Trust of Georgia: The Mountain
Conservation Trust of Georgia (MTC) is searching for a new Executive Director. The
MCT is an accredited land trust, dedicated to serving the public interest through the
permanent conservation of the natural resources and scenic beauty of the mountains and
foothills of North Georgia. This full-time position serves as the Chief Executive Officer
of the MCT and reports to the volunteer Board of Directors. The Executive Director is
responsible for the planning, development and implementation of the strategies to achieve
the organization's mission. This includes the responsibility for land conservation
activities, fundraising to support the organization efforts, management
of financial resources and staff, as well as support to the Board of Directors.
A detailed job description is available from Tavia McCuean at tmccuean@bellsouth.net.
To apply, send a detailed resume addressing qualifications and experience with a cover
letter expressing interest in the position to Tavia McCuean at tmccuean@bellsouth.net or
46 Pineland Road, Atlanta, GA 30342 by December 1, 2013.
Tall Timbers Land Conservancy is seeking comments: As part of both the
accreditation and re-accreditation process, applicants are required to seek public
comments on their applications. The Tall Timbers Land Conservancy is seeking to be reaccredited and would like your comments. To learn more about the accreditation program
and to submit a comment, visit www.landtrustaccreditation.org or email your comment
to info@landtrustaccreditation.org. Comments may also be faxed or mailed to the Land
Trust Accreditation Commission, Attn: Public Comments: (fax) 518-587-3183; (mail) 36
Phila Street, Suite 2, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
1
Registration for the Fourth Symposium on Advanced Legal Topics in Land
Conservation now open: The Symposium will be held in Reno, Nevada, on February 56, 2014. It offers a level of expert discussion that is rarely available - a unique
opportunity to review and discuss the latest developments in the field, and collaborate on
approaches to perplexing issues. The two-day Symposium is ideal for Attorneys, Senior
Practitioners and Law School Faculty. It offers up to 11 CLE credits and serves as a
pivotal resource to ensuring that conservation professionals have the most recent
information and tools their clients need. And it is a great opportunity to participate in
discussions with peers about the evolution of conservation law.
Those who attend can look forward to the following:
- Dissecting a breach of contract conservation case to develop cogent pretrial strategies
- Analyzing four leading conservation and tax cases for practical implications and new
trends
- Drilling down into nuances and negotiation of surface use agreements for oil and gas
extraction
- Bringing their collaborative problem-solving skills to an intensive six-hour practical
examination of land trust risk assessment focusing on the challenges of conservation
easement modification
For a copy of the agenda, go to: http://www.landtrustalliance.org/training/2014symposium-agenda
To register for the Symposium, go to: http://www.lta.org/legal
Changes
The Silver Fox, Rex Boner, is retiring from the Conservation Fund after a 35-year
career conserving land in Georgia and elsewhere in the nation. He has been an
important if not invaluable mentor to most of the land conservation organizations
in the southeast and he has been instrumental in saving a number of crown jewel
lands in Georgia including Trail Ridge next to the Okefenokee Swamp, Silver
Lake in SW Georgia, Arabia Mountain in DeKalb County and the Wharton
Conservation Center in Tate City (N GA mountains). Others often take credit for
these successes but Rex quietly did the lion’s share of the work. He will be
missed!
The Conservation Fund has moved its office to 100 Edgewood Avenue, NE, Suite
930, Atlanta, GA 30303. Telephone 404-221-0405.
2
One Hundred Miles: A new conservation advocacy organization has been formed
to preserve, protect and enhance the 100-mile long coast of Georgia. The
Executive Director is Megan Desrosiers (formerly with the SC Coastal
onservation League) (megan@onehundredmiles.org). The Associate Director is
Alice M. Keyes (formerly with GA EPD and the Georgia Conservancy)
(alice@onehundredmiles.org). The OHM office located at 301 Gloucester Street
in downtown Brunswick. The mailing address is P.O. Box 2056, Brunswick, GA
31521. Telephone: 912-264-4111; web: www.onehundredmiles.org
They are having an open house today from 5-8 pm.
Dates
November 1: Registration for the Fourth Symposium on Advanced Legal Topics
in Land Conservation opens; for details see article on page 2, above.
November 6: Real Estate Fundamentals: A Primer for New Land Trust Staff
Webinar I. Cost: $65. Register today at:
http://www.landtrustalliance.org/training/webinars-workshops/real-estatefundamentals-a-primer-for-new-land-trust-staff
November 6; repeated on November 12 and December 4: Preparing Your Land
Trust to Manage Risk Effectively. Webinar I Free. Registered for Terrafirma?
This webinar is a requirement for the risk management discount. It's being offered
on three dates, but you only need to attend once. Register today at:
http://www.landtrustalliance.org/training/webinars-workshops/preparing-yourland-trust-to-manage-risk-effectively
November 14: Webinar on Bridge Financing - To Borrow or Not to Borrow?
Register at:
http://www.landtrustalliance.org/training/webinars-workshops/part-i-introduction
December 1: Deadline for applying for the Executive Director position at the
Mountain Conservation Trust of Georgia. For details, see page 1, above.
December 12: LTA-SE sponsored conversation with Ben Raines, Executive
Director of the Weeks Bay Foundation (an accredited land trust), on Getting
Attention: How to Work with Your Local Media. Free conference call. Register
today at: http://www.landtrustalliance.org/about/regional-programs/se/learningfrom-the-best-right-at-your-desk or hhannapel@lta.org
February 6, 2014: Georgia Land Conservation Council meeting in Atlanta.
March 23-25: Southeast Regional Assembly in Chattanooga; sponsored by the SE
Office of the Land Trust Alliance. Details later.
May 1: Georgia Land Conservation Council meeting; location to be determined.
3
August 7: Georgia Land Conservation Council meeting; location to be
determined.
September 18-20: Rally 2014 in Providence, Rhode Island.
October 30: Georgia Land Conservation Council meeting; location to be
determined.
Land Conservation News is a periodic communication produced by the Georgia Land Conservation
Center for land trust leaders and others who care about the future of open space in Georgia. To subscribe or
to contribute news items, please contact Hans Neuhauser at the Georgia Land Conservation Center: 706546-7507 or hans@galandcc.com
4