Earlier this month, a few of TennGreen Land Conservancy’s staff members had the opportunity to attend the Land Trust Alliance’s annual Rally conference in Portland, Oregon. More than 2,000 attendees joined this premier training and networking conference solely dedicated to the work of land conservancies across the nation and beyond. At the conference, attendees participated in workshops on topics including resilient conservation easements, growth management, litigation and current tax-law issues, and the vital importance of collaboration amongst communities in fulfilling this forever mission.
“Rally provided me with important information and ideas (especially in courses such as “To Litigate or Not to Litigate” and “Federal Tax Issues: Latest and Greatest 2023”), and I was comforted to confirm that our staff are doing things truly excellently. TennGreen is well-positioned to fulfill our mission in the years ahead, upholding our conservation easements to protect the natural values that we are focused on conserving. However, I also have realized, throughout my first year and confirmed at the conference, that TennGreen’s urgent work must expand if we want to protect our rich landscapes and be truly a statewide organization.” —Alice Hudson Pell, Executive Director“TennGreen is well-positioned to fulfill our mission in the years ahead.”
Two special grants from the Maddox Fund and the Land Trust Alliance helped TennGreen’s Kristen Hanratty and Kim Woodward attend Rally 2023, as well.
“Participating in LTA Rally 2023 was an insightful and thought-provoking experience. I left the conference with a more informed perspective on how to better connect, and reconnect, people to land and bring diverse groups together in a common cause. Thanks to the connections I made at Rally, I feel better equipped to create resilient and inclusive conservation easements in order to protect land in perpetuity through a multicultural lens. As we advance our conservation efforts, TennGreen has the opportunity, and obligation, to collaborate with BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and other historically marginalized communities when protecting our natural resources. I am so grateful to the Maddox Fund for granting me the Young Nonprofit Professional Scholarship and facilitating my attendance at Rally 2023. Thank you!” —Kristen Hanratty, Conservation Project Manager“As we advance our conservation efforts, TennGreen has the opportunity, and obligation, to collaborate with historically marginalized communities when protecting our natural resources.”
“As a newer member of the land trust community, attending Rally was incredibly helpful for me in understanding the larger scope of our conservation efforts. It reaffirmed my passion for land conservation and the importance of the work we’re doing. I’m grateful to the Land Trust Alliance for granting me a scholarship that helped me attend the conference and I look forward for more opportunities in the future.” —Kim Woodward, Communications Coordinator
TennGreen is committed to being an active member of the conservation community, hosting and attending events to advance its work to conserve land where people and nature can thrive. To view a list of upcoming events, hosted by or benefiting TennGreen, click here.
Top photo, left to right: Kim Woodward, Alice Hudson Pell, and Kristen Hanratty