Home » Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS) Earns National Recognition

Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS) Earns National Recognition

by Community Contributor

Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS) has been saving open spaces for the people of Hopewell Valley since 1987. This week, FoHVOS announced it has achieved national recognition – joining a network of over 400 accredited land trusts across the nation that have demonstrated their commitment to professional excellence and to maintaining the public’s trust in their work.

“Accreditation demonstrates FoHVOS’s commitment to permanent land conservation in Hopewell Valley,” said Daniel Rubenstein, FoHVOS Board President. “We are a stronger organization for having gone through the rigorous accreditation program. Our strength means special places – such as the Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain – will be protected forever, making Hopewell Valley an even greater place for us and our children.”

To achieve such a distinction, FoHVOS provided extensive documentation and was subject to a comprehensive third-party evaluation. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission awarded accreditation, signifying its confidence that FOHVOS’s lands will be protected forever. Accredited land trusts steward approximately 20 million acres of land – the size of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island combined.

“The real power behind FoHVOS is our desire to inclusively partner with the greater community to achieve lasting results,” added Lisa Wolff, FoHVOS Executive Director. “For example, our last two major preservations — Mount Rose and Woosamonsa Ridge – were led by NJCF and D&R Greenway, respectively, and both accredited land trusts. Under FoHVOS Community Conservation, we have joined forces with local municipalities, corporations, NGOs, and homeowner associations. Collaboration is our secret to success. Partnering with LTA on accreditation is a crowning achievement.”

“It is exciting to recognize FoHVOS with this national mark of distinction,” said Tammara Van Ryn, executive director of the Commission. “Donors and partners can trust the more than 400 accredited land trusts across the country are united behind strong standards and have demonstrated sound finances, ethical conduct, responsible governance, and lasting stewardship.”

FoHVOS is one of 1,363 land trusts across the United States, according to the Land Trust Alliance’s most recent National Land Trust Census. A complete list of accredited land trusts and more information about the process and benefits can be found at www.landtrustaccreditation.org.

 

About the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS)

FoHVOS is an accredited nonprofit land trust dedicated to conserving the valley’s character through efforts to preserve land, protect natural resources, and inspire a new generation of conservation.Since our inception, we have preserved over 7,500 acres of land and inspired thousands of partners and volunteers. To learn more about FoHVOS, visit www.fohvos.org, call 609-730-1560 or visit www.fohvos.org.

About the Land Trust Accreditation Commission

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission inspires excellence, promotes public trust and ensures permanence in the conservation of open lands by recognizing organizations that meet rigorous quality standards and strive for continuous improvement. The Commission, established in 2006 as an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, is governed by a volunteer board of diverse land conservation and nonprofit management experts. For more, visit www.landtrustaccreditation.org.

About the Land Trust Alliance

Founded in 1982, the Land Trust Alliance is a national land conservation organization that works to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America. The Alliance represents 1,000-member land trusts supported by more than 200,000 volunteers and 4.6 million members nationwide. The Alliance is based in Washington, D.C., and operates several regional offices.

The Alliance’s leadership serves the entire land trust community—our work in the nation’s capital represents the policy priorities of land conservationists from every state; our education programs improve and empower land trusts from Maine to Alaska; and our comprehensive vision for the future of land conservation includes new partners, new programs and new priorities. Connect with us online at www.landtrustalliance.org.

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