Septtember 29, 2016
Steerin
ng Committtee
Rob Kra
ain, Chair
Black Sw
wamp
Conservvancy
Pat Deering
Licking S
SWCD
Jonatha
an Ferbrache
e
Farfield SWCD
Rob Gallloway
Gates M
Mills
Land Co
onservancy
Steve G
Goodwin
Appalachia Ohio Allia
ance
eBold
Ross Le
The Natu
ure Conserva
ancy
Magaw
Krista M
Tecumse
eh Land Trus
st
Joy Mullinex
Western
n Reserve
Land Co
onservancy
erg
Eric Obe
Rails-to--Trails
Conservvancy
asarhelyi
Dave Va
Trust forr Public Land
n Waldron
Carolyn
Land Tru
ust Alliance
edl
Liz Woe
Three Va
alley
Conservvation Trust
Dearr Friend of Ohio
O
Land Trusts,
T
he Coalition
n of
I write to invitee you to join or renew yyour Membeership for th
Ohio
o Land Trusts (COLT) fo
or the 2016
6/2017 yearr.
nized in 200
04 to help serve the staate’s land trusts by
COLT was organ
viding a centralized sou
urce of inforrmation, a sshared netw
work of
prov
reso
ources and experts,
e
and
d statewide meetings fo
or professio
onal
deveelopment, education, an
nd training..
COLT is manageed and led by
b a volunteeer Steeringg Committeee, who are
unco
ompensated
d financially
y and give off their time to help add
dress and
advaance the neeeds of Ohio land trusts.. The Steerin
ng Committtee meets
mon
nthly, keeps abreast of issues
i
and d
developmen
nts affectingg Ohio’s
consservation co
ommunity, and
a advocattes for conservation intterests.
The Steering Co
ommittee
reco
ognizes Krista Magaw frrom
Tecu
umseh Land
d Trust who served
as Ch
hair of the Steering
S
Com
mmittee thro
ough June 20
016
and applauds heer leadership on
ny conservattion
man
acco
omplishmen
nts. I succeeded
Krista as Chair in
i July and will
w
serv
ve through Ju
une 2018.
2015-2016 Acccomplishm
ments
Lastt Novemberr, COLT spon
nsored
its annual
a
stateewide meetiing.
Morre than 70 laand trust bo
oard
mem
mbers, stafff, and voluntteers
atteended to leaarn the latesst about
easeement draftting and deffense,
fedeeral and state policy isssues,
and
d current and emergingg conservatio
ms. The meetting
on funding mechanism
also
o featured a panel discu
ussion desiggned specifiically for all volunteer lland
trussts.
COLT continued to worked closely with the Clean Ohio Coalition this past year to secure
funding for Clean Ohio’s trails, Open Space, and Agricultural Preservation programs
through the State’s Capital Budget Bill. On April 19th, COLT co-hosted a reception at the
Statehouse, celebrating 15 years of the Clean Ohio Fund and highlighting its value to
Ohioans. The Budget Bill, which passed the following day, included $100 million in new
funding.
The COLT Steering Committee also participated in a roundtable discussion with Land Trust
Alliance to provide feedback on its proposed revisions to Land Trust Standards & Practices.
2016-2017 Priorities
Land Trusts have been encountering new and frustrating challenges with many of the land
conservation and water quality protection programs we utilize. COLT is in active
discussions with these agencies and other key players to address these challenges, simplify
processes and advance conservation in Ohio.
We are also working with legislators and agency representatives to promote property tax
reductions on permanently preserved natural habitats that don’t currently qualify for
CAUV reductions. We believe this would encourage more private landowners to pursue
conservation easement transactions.
Joy Mulinex, with Western Reserve Land Conservancy, is spearheading a communications
working group aimed at improving and coordinating marketing and messaging efforts of
land trusts statewide. Those
interested in participating in this
effort are encouraged to reach
out to Joy.
Looking ahead at the 2017/2018
gubernatorial and legislative
elections, COLT will be creating a
whitepaper document advocating
legislative and administrative
priorities. Our hope is to bring
important conservation issues and
proposals to the forefront of the
election cycle and public debate.
Please consider renewing your membership or joining as a new member today!
Memberships help support all of these activities, services, and resources. We ask that you
renew your membership or become a new member as we kick-off our annual membership
campaign for 2016/2017. Membership fees are unchanged from last year. Your
membership helps underwrite the costs of our annual meeting, website
subscription/maintenance fees, mailings and misc. costs.
Funds arre not used to support or hire adm
ministrative staff. Westeern Reservee Land
Conservancy has geenerously vo
olunteered to
t continue to provide minimal ad
dministrativve
support and the org
ganizations represented
d on the CO
OLT steeringg committeee will contin
nue
to provid
de in-kind support
s
and
d staff involv
vement.
Memberrship fees arre structureed at the orgganizationall or individu
ual levels. M
Members recceive
advanced information and a reduced regisstration fee for statewid
de meetingss. Organizattions
o the numbeer of employ
yees or boarrd members registerin
ng for our
are not limited as to
meetings to secure the
t member registratio
on fee.
Enclosed is a mem
mbership form which we
w ask thatt you comp
plete and re
eturn with
your me
embership dues.
Also, iff you haven’’t already reegistered for COLT’s Faall Meeting, please do so
o.
b held agaiin at the Blaacklick Woo
ods Golf Cou
urse Banqueet Room, Columbus
It will be
Metrop
parks from 10:00
1
am – 3:00 pm on
n Novemberr 10.
ndconservanccy.org/eventt/colt-fall-meeeting-2016// to
Please visit https:///www.wrlan
registeer or downlo
oad the
ommittee arre available to provide aadditional information
n or
All members of the Steering Co
q
Our
O contact information
n can be fou
und on the C
COLT websiite. Thank you
answer questions.
for your support in helping to continue
c
thee good workk that the Coalition of O
Ohio Land
Trusts iss leading in our state!
Sincerely
y,
Rob Kraiin
Chairperrson
http://w
www.ohiolan
ndtrusts.orgg/
https://w
www.facebook.com/Oh
hioLandTru
usts
COALITION OF OHIO LAND TRUSTS c/o Western Reserve Land Conservancy 3850 Chagrin River Road Moreland Hills, OH 44022 MEMBERSHIP FORM November 1, 2016‐October 31, 2017 SELECT ORGANIZATIONAL OR INDIVIDUAL: INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIP Name: Name: Address, Line 1: Address, Line 1: Address, Line 2: Address, Line 2: City: City: State: State: Zip: Zip: Telephone: Telephone: Email: Primary Contact: Title: Phone: Email: Individual Membership Dues: $35 Organizational Membership Dues Staffed Land Trust ‐ $75 All‐Volunteer Land Trust ‐ $50 Other: Business/State or Federal Agency/Non‐
profit (other than land trust) ‐ $75 Please make checks payable to: COLT c/o Western Reserve Land Conservancy Mail this form with your check enclosed to: COLT c/o Western Reserve Land Conservancy 3850 Chagrin River Road Moreland Hills, OH 44022 MEMBERSHIP DUES ARE NOT TAX DEDUCTIBLE Questions/Additional Information: Rob Krain, [email protected]