Workshop Library
Building Better Boards for Local Land Trusts: Virtual Sessions in Land Trust Governance and Operations
Forever Maryland, with support from the Rural Maryland Council’s MAERDAF grant program, developed this exciting program to help local land trusts and conservation organizations build stronger and more influential Boards of Directors. We appreciate the great support of all that participated in this series, including the speakers, attendees, sponsors, committee planning members, and more. We’d especially like to thank Don Owen (Lands Trails and Parks LLC) in helping make this a great success.
As a thank you to the land conservation community, we are pleased to share video recordings of our Building Better Boards Workshop Series and this virtual binder of land trust standards and sample policies. We could not have done this without you all and we look forward to making great programing like this in the future.
Wednesday, November 30, 2022 | Passing the Baton: Succession Planning Workshop
Presented by Greg Bowen, American Chestnut Land Trust; Katie Lautar, Baltimore Greenspace; Steve Kline, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy; Kristin Kirkwood, Harford Land Trust; Sarah Knebel, Scenic Rivers Land Trust; Rick Leader, Perch Creek Consulting
Presentation
Nationally, the land trust community is going through a generational change and a “changing of the guard” for the land trust community is underway. With many Maryland land trusts created in the early 1990s, here in Maryland, it’s no different.
Succession planning is a very important topic in Maryland’s land trust community – leadership for both staff and board are aging out and land trusts are looking ahead as they prepare for the next 50 years. This workshop will focus on succession planning and transitions for land trust staff in leadership positions.
Monday, May 16, 2022 | Stewardship – How to Conserve Land in Perpetuity
Presented by Sara Knebel, Scenic Rivers Land Trust; John Chapman; Maryland Environmental Trust; Autumn Phillips, American Chestnut Land Trust; Don Owen, Lands Trails and Parks
Workshop Recording / Presentation
An introduction to the most important job of all – stewarding and monitoring easements and in-fee properties.
Monday, April 25, 2022 | Transactions – How to Save Land
Presented by Jared Parks, Lower Shore Land Trust; Ann Carlson, Maryland Environmental Trust; Don Owen, Lands Trails and Parks
Workshop Recording / Presentation
This workshop will provide new and less-involved land trust board members with an overview of land conservation – easements, fee acquisitions, and everything in between.
Monday, March 14, 2022 | Finance and Fundraising – How to Raise It, Spend It, and Keep Track of It
Presented by Kristin Kirkwood, Harford Land Trust; Cris Wineinger, Wineinger and Associates; Don Owen, Lands Trails and Parks
Workshop Recording / Presentation
This workshop will provide new and less-involved land trust board members with an introduction to the fiduciary responsibilities of a nonprofit organization’s board of directors. As a bonus, the workshop will offer tips and secrets from professional fundraisers.
Monday, February 28, 2022 | Governance – How to Run an Effective Nonprofit Organization
Presented by Connie Manes, Manes Consulting; Andrew Szwak, Land Trust Alliance; Don Owen, Lands Trails and Parks
Workshop Recording / Presentation
This workshop will provide land trust board members with a refresher and/or introduction to Board member responsibilities at a land trust.
Monday, January 24, 2022 | How to Build a Board of Directors – Recruiting, Vetting, Nominating, and Orienting New Board Members
Presented by Don Owen, Land Trails and Parks, LLC; Kate Patton, Lower Shore Land Trust; Jennifer Miller Herzog, Land Trust Alliance
Workshop Recording / Presentation / Handouts / Test Your Knowledge
This workshop is specifically designed to help land trust leaders and nominating committee members effectively and efficiently seek out and evaluate potential new Board members.
