Land Trust For Tennessee Inc

CONSERVATION OF UNIQUE CHARACTER OF TENNESSEE'S NATURAL & HISTORIC LANDSCAPES & SITES

CONSERVATION SUCCESS: DURING FISCAL YEAR 2024, THE ORGANIZATION COMPLETED 10 PROJECTS, PROTECTING 1,768 ADDITIONAL ACRES OF LAND IN TENNESSEE. NINE OF THESE PROPERTIES WERE PROTECTED WITH CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, THE ORGANIZATION'S PRIMARY TOOL FOR CONSERVING LAND, AND ONE WAS AN AMENDMENT TO ADD 86 ACRES OF LAND TO AN EXISTING CONSERVATION EASEMENT. FOUR OF THE TEN PROJECTS ARE LOCATED IN ONE OF THE ORGANIZATION'S TEN CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITY REGIONS (CORS), WHICH ARE THE PRIORITY AREAS ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION'S STRATEGIC CONSERVATION PLAN, FOREVER TENNESSEE. THIS INCLUDED THE ORGANIZATION'S FIRST CONSERVATION EASEMENT IN THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN FOOTHILLS COR IN EAST TENNESSEE WHICH PROTECTED OVER 1,048 ACRES OF FORESTLAND AND WILDLIFE HABITAT. THE PERMANENT PROTECTION OF THESE PROPERTIES RESULTED IN THE PRESERVATION OF 2.9 MILES OF PUBLIC ROAD FRONTAGE AS WELL AS 7.8 MILES OF TENNESSEE'S RIVERS AND STREAMS. AT THE END OF FY24, THE ORGANIZATION HAD PROTECTED A TOTAL OF 136,012 ACRES OF LAND THROUGH 455 PROJECTS. AFTER A 7-YEAR EFFORT, THE ORGANIZATION AND A GROUP OF CONSERVATION PARTNERS CELEBRATED THE MOMENTOUS OPENING OF WALDEN'S RIDGE PARK (WRP) IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023. WRP IS A 217-ACRE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE PARK ON THE SLOPE OF SIGNAL MOUNTAIN FEATURING OVER 10 MILES OF TRAILS TO ACCOMMODATE MOUNTAIN BIKING, HIKING, TRAIL RUNNING, AND BOULDERING. THE WRP PROJECT IS PART OF AN ONGOING EFFORT TO HIGHLIGHT CHATTANOOGA AS A NATIONWIDE DESTINATION FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION. IN ADDITION TO SECURING OVER $1.2 MILLION IN FUNDING TO DEVELOP THE PARK, THE ORGANIZATION ALSO HOLDS A PERMANENT CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON THE PROPERTY. STEWARDSHIP: THE ORGANIZATION COMPLETED 100% OF ITS ANNUAL MONITORING IN FY24 THROUGH BOTH IN-PERSON VISITS AND THROUGH SATELLITE IMAGERY. THIS INCLUDES OVER 400 ON-THE GROUND VISITS COMPLETED BETWEEN APRIL 2023-MARCH 2024. MONITORING IS A CRITICAL PART OF THE ORGANIZATION'S COMMITMENT TO UPHOLD ITS PROMISE OF PROTECTING LAND IN PERPETUITY. THE ORGANIZATION'S STEWARDSHIP STAFF ALSO HANDLED HUNDREDS OF OTHER STEWARDSHIP ITEMS INCLUDING ACTIVITY REQUESTS, APPROVALS, EASEMENT INTERPRETATIONS, AND PROPERTY TRANSFERS. THE ORGANIZATION HAD A STRONG FUNDRAISING YEAR AND EXCEEDED ITS PREVIOUS RECORD FOR UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTIONS. THIS INCLUDES INCREASED FUNDRAISING REVENUE FOR ITS ONCE IN A BLUE MOON EVENT IN OCTOBER 2023, AND FOR REVENUE STREAMS, INCLUDING THE PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF A PROPERTY IN SEPTEMBER 2023. THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED DEVELOPING FUNDRAISING EVENT CONCEPTS SUCH AS MUSIC ON THE FARM AND FOREVER TENNESSEE, WHICH WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF REVENUE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DONOR STEWARDSHIP IN THE FUTURE. IN ADDITION TO INCREASING UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTIONS, THE ORGANIZATION DEEPENED RELATIONSHIPS WITH KEY FOUNDATIONS TO SECURE RESTRICTED CONTRIBUTIONS FOR PROGRAMS INCLUDING GLEN LEVEN FARM AND WORK IN SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE. THESE ENHANCED AND NEW REVENUE STREAMS ARE NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION TO CONSERVE THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF TENNESSEE'S LANDSCAPES FOR PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT: THE ORGANIZATION REACHED OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE THROUGH VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND OTHER VIRTUAL OUTREACH METHODS SUCH AS E-NEWSLETTERS, PRESENTATIONS, AND WEBINARS. IN ADDITION, THE ORGANIZATION ENGAGED IN-PERSON AUDIENCES BY ATTENDING AND PRESENTING AT CONFERENCES, TABLING EVENTS, AND HOSTING PROGRAMS AND VOLUNTEER EVENTS AT GLEN LEVEN FARM. THIS INCLUDES FREE MONTHLY COMMUNITY DAYS, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES, AND TOURS FOR STUDENTS AND GROUPS.