Wood River Land Trust LTA Standard 8: Evaluating and Selecting Conservation Projects

8B: Project Selection Criteria

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Policy: Wood River Land Trust will select projects that protect important conservation values, natural resource values, and social/community values and that further the Land Trusts mission and goals. In general, Land Trust involvement requires that the project have a significant public benefit and that two (2) conservation purposes (U.S. Treasury Regulations Section 1.170A-14(d)) are met unless the benefit of one criterion is very high. The Land Trust shall also evaluate the feasibility of completing and stewarding projects and potential risks and hazards involved. The following Project Selection Process shall be used followed by Land Trust staff in preparation for project evaluation by the Board. The Site Inspection Checklist (Appendix 8E.1) and Project Selection Criteria (Appendix 8B.1) shall be completed and will identify conservation purposes, risks, and feasibility of potential projects. All project selection and planning documents will be stored at the Land Trust office. Project Selection Process: 1. An initial meeting is held with the landowner(s) and at least one Land Trust staff member. The Landowner Questionnaire/Initial Meeting Outline (Appendix 8H.1) can be used as a guideline for this initial meeting. The Project Contact List (Appendix 8E.2) is started. 2. An initial site visit is made with the landowner(s) and two Land Trust staff members to discuss the property and possible conservation options in further detail. The Site Inspection Process (Standard 8E) shall be followed and the Site Inspection Checklist (Appendix 8E.1) shall be completed. 3. Staff members involved in the initial site inspection and project planning process will use the Staff Report Project Proposal Template to provide a Staff Report to the Board describing the project, using the Site Inspection Checklist (Appendix 8E.1) and the Project Selection Criteria (Appendix 8B.1.) The Board will decide on the best conservation tool for the proposed project and how to proceed. If appropriate, a Conservation Easement Proposal and Supplement (Appendices 9F.1 and 9F.2) shall be drafted and sent to the landowner. Board Discretionary Role: The Board of Directors retains discretion over acceptance, acquisition, or disposition and will evaluate each project and proposal on its own merits after careful investigation of the property, its resources, and public benefits. Once the project has been approved, Land Trust staff will follow the appropriate process to complete the project, whether it is a conservation easement or fee simple acquisition. The Conservation Easement Process (Standard 9E) will be used to complete conservation easements, and the Purchasing Land Process (Standard 9J) will be used in land purchases.

Standard 8B - Project Selection Criteria / Page 1 of 1 / Approved by the Board November 27, 2007