The Northern Rivers Land Trust was founded in 2006 by residents of Hardwick and six neighboring towns who were concerned that development should proceed along lines that would preserve the area's rural character, protecting farms, forestland and wildlife habitat. NRLT is a private nonprofit (501(c)3) land conservation organization supported by its membership and governed by a volunteer board of trustees. We are not connected with local or state government.

The NRLT belongs to the Land Trust Alliance of Washington, DC, which is the umbrella organization of approx. 1,500 national, regional, state and local land trusts dedicated to land conservation. Membership ranges from the global Nature Conservancy to one village organizations such as our close associate, the Greensboro Land Trust, which was founded in 1992 and now holds 13 easements on property in town.

 

  
   
Objectives  
  NRLT's by-laws specify nine objectives
   
1.
 To preserve and aid in the preservation of all types of wild nature, including wetlands, wildlife habitat, and other significant natural areas;
   
2.
 To conserve and aid in the conservation of agricultural and forest lands and encourage their productive use;
   
3.
 To protect and enhance the scenic natural beauty of the area;
   
4.
 To acquire and aid in the acquisition of lands suitable for public recreation for the benefit of the general public;
   
5.
 To aid in the preservation of significant historic buildings, structures, and sites in order to maintain the cultural heritage of the area;
   
6.
 To assist state and local housing authorities and non-profit community land trusts in the acquisition of land and buildings suitable for providing affordable housing to low and moderate income people;
   
7.
 To promote educational, research and related activities intended to bring about the conservation and proper use of our natural resources, particularly in the area of land conservation;
   
8.
 To ease the burdens of federal, state, and local governments by encouraging voluntary land preservation and conservation; and
   
9.
 To provide technical assistance and advice to municipalities and local land trusts and pursue other cooperative endeavors to achieve the purposes set forth in this article.
 
 
Structure

       NRLT is managed by a board of between 5 and 15 trustees. As of early 2009 there were 11 trustees. They serve staggered three-year terms, and are limited to two terms. They are elected by the membership at NRLT's annual meeting, normally held in June, which considers (but is not limited to) a slate presented by a nominating committee.

      The bylaws provide for an advisory committee of 9 to 12 members, appointed by the trustees. They also serve staggered 3 year terms, being limited to 1 term. However they may be elected as trustees during or after their term on the advisory committee. (As of early 2009 the advisory committee had not yet been constituted).

      NRLT's officers comprise a chair, vice-chair, secretary, treasurer and co-treasurer, elected at the first board meeting following the annual meeting. The board meets normally on the fourth Thursday evening of each month, although occasionally two months transpire between winter meetings. An executive committee comprising the officers is authorized to act on urgent matters between meetings.

 
Records
      The NLRT's records are maintained under lock and key in the strong room at the Greensboro Town Office.
 
Finances

      NRLT solicits donations from its members and other friends through an annual mailing that accompanies the annual Newsletter. Special fund-raising drives are conducted in connection with specific projects. Regular operating costs are minimal, as the organization has no paid staff.

      NRLT's treasurer manages its financial assets, which are kept in three separate accounts, a Stewardship Endowment Fund, an Operating Endowment Fund, and a General Fund. The SEF may only be drawn on for costs incurred in monitoring and enforcing NRLT's easements, and normally only the interest is used for these purposes. For each new easement acquired, the by-laws obligate the trustees to raise and/or transfer a lump sum, currently $3000, into the SEF, where it accumulates interest until drawn on for eligible costs.

      The General Fund is drawn on to finance purchase of easements, as well as operating costs not related to monitoring and enforcement. Interest from the Operating Endowment also supports these same general purposes.

 
Modus operandi

      NRLT operates primarily by accepting development rights on real estate, also known as conservation easements, either for its own account or in support of easement purchases by a related organization such as the Vermont Land Trust (VLT). NRLT's policy is to promote conservation other than by acquiring title to land, with all future burdens that would entail. Easements may be donated or purchased, or acquired through "bargain sales" where the grantor donates a portion of the easement's appraised value and the NRLT pays the remaining value.

      Normal terms and conditions of conservation easements are summarized in our page Conserving your Land.

 
Stewardship endowment
      NRLT's current policy is to raise or transfer $3000 to its Stewardship Endowment Fund for each new easement, in order to cover monitoring and enforcement costs. Easement donors may wish to contribute to this fund in recognition that NRLT is assuming a perpetual responsibility to preserve their land.
 
NRLT's easements
NRLT acquired its first easement in 2007, through a donation by Paul Cillo on his 18 acre field at the junction of Bridgeman Hill and Renaud Roads, three miles north of the village of Hardwick. NRLT also holds an easement on a hayfield owned by Andrew Meyer at the junction of Bridgeman Hill and Town Farm roads near the Greensboro border. As of early 2009, NRLT held these two easements on its own account, and had contributed to the purchase of another easement on Bridgeman Hill road by the VLT. See the Projects page for more information about easements held by NRLT.
 
Substantive committees

NRLT conducts part of its activities through substantive committees. Existing committees are listed below. Most committees seek new members who do not need to be trustees. Please contact any NRLT officer for further information.

    Lands - identifies, visits and evaluates projects, reports to the Board, works with landowners to develop Board-approaved projects.

   Monitoring - visits all properties subject to NRLT easements at least once a year to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the respective agreements. Other Board members are invited to accompany the committee coordinator(s). A brief report, using a VLT form, is completed annually on each easement. The coordinator contacts the landowners concerned and asks them to accompany the committee wherever possible on visits to their land.

    Financial Management and Oversight - prepares budgets and periodic financial reports, ensures responsible management of organizational funds.

    Advisory - designed to involve, in NRLT's work, colleagues from related organizations and area vacation residents who are interested in conservation but cannot attend most Board meetings. Members are welcome at all Board meetings. (Waiting to be constituted)

    Membership/Outreach - manages NRLT communications and recruitment of members, maintains external relationships.

    Nominating- nominates trustees and Board officers for election at annual and Board meetings, respectively.