About

"With more than 1,100 members, the Alliance is an advocate for the policies and incentives that land trusts rely on to acquire land. From awarding government funded grants to providing insurance for costly litigation, the Alliance fights hard to bolster their members interests, regardless if they are using proper discretion in court actions."

Sadly:
They formed Terrafirma,  a money source for land trusts to fund the cost of legal action to defend the pubic liability for land owned by the trusts. Unfortunately, this funding frees up dollars for bully suits against private landowners to take their land, setting up an unfair advantage against small property owners. 

Who They Are
"The Alliance works by creating increased tax incentives for land conservation; securing and maximizing access to federal funds available for conservation programs; improving IRS administration of conservation donation rules; and increasing effective advocacy by land trusts."   They Lobby Congress. 

Their History
"Founded in 1982, the Land Trust Alliance (LTA) is a national land conservation organization that works to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America."

"The Land Trust Alliance formed Terrafirma in 2011 to help land trusts defend their conserved lands from legal challenge. It is owned by its members to insure the costs of upholding conservation easements and fee lands held for conservation purposes when they have been violated or are under legal attack, and to provide information on risk management to those land trusts. Conservation Defense Fund provides backup for the legal battles as well."

The LTA  is the gatekeeper for the  New York State Conservation Partnership Program. In total, $1.8 million in funding from New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund will be awarded by the Alliance in spring 2016. See An Important Investment, LTA,

The Mohonk Preserve is a member of the LTA and Executive Director of the Mohonk Preserve Glenn Hoagland is on their New York Advisory Board.  
Take action and sign the petition for NYS Attorney General to investigate Fink and Pardini's complaint against the Mohonk Preserve, Friends of the Shawangunks and the Shawangunk Conservancy.