Background:
Back in 1995, Sam Skaggs of Juneau envisioned a non-profit, community organization that would help land owners in Southeast Alaska take actions to ensure that the natural values of their lands remain in place.

With this vision and the support of a half dozen volunteers, Deborah Marshall established the Southeast Alaska Land Trust as a member supported, nonprofit 501(c)(3), tax-exempt organization in 1996.

The Southeast Alaska Land Trust signed and recorded its first conservation easement in December 1998. Today we steward seven conservation easements on 2,815 acres of coastal lands (see Lands we Steward).

Board
Southeast Alaska Land Trust is directed by a 12-member local Board of Trustees who serve without compensation and a small professional staff responsible for carrying out our program for land conservation. We are also served by an Advisory Board of professionals, a group of dedicated volunteers, and support from our nearly 400 members throughout Alaska and ten other states (see You Can Help).

Activities
The Land Trust works to preserve and enhance our region’s vital natural areas and for present and future generations (see Land Trust Projects). We accomplish this by:

• accepting land donations whether outright or a conservation easement to protect natural, scenic, recreational and/or historical values.
• creating partnerships with local landowners, planners, public agencies, and other conservation organizations.
• educating the community through seminars, workshops, and other outreach forums.

Process
The Land Trust is a sponsoring member of the national Land Trust Alliance (EXIT to LTA web site), and has adopted policies, based on the model LTA Standards & Practices, governing land project selection, due diligence, monitoring and stewardship, ethical fundraising, financial and asset management, and conflict of interest (see Army Corps participant program).