Highland-Cashiers Land Trust Inc

HCLTs education and outreach efforts focus on educating the public about conservation and the natural world by providing opportunities for children, families, and adults to engage in hands-on environmental education and exploration activities at no cost. Our programming generally encompasses three types of outreach (1) guided events for adults and families, such as hikes and clinics, (2) youth- focused environmental education programs, and (3) community speaker events. In 2024 we hosted more that 60 events open to the public, including on such topics as forest bathing, fungi identification, pollinator habitats, wildflower identification, and so on; more than 40 youth events, including programming for organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, local schools and preschools, and local day camps; and several speaker events, including 6 Village Nature Series lectures. In 2024 HCLT created more than 1,800 individual interactions with youth and adults through our various outreach and environmental education programming.

HCLT continues to ensure that it operates ethically and morally, and proactively complies with all legal and statutory requirements. HCLT is an accredited organization by the Land Trust Alliance and in 2024 successfully participated in the re-accreditation process, a complete and thorough review, undertaken every five years, of all HCLTs policies and practices. HCLT has stringent requirements for board members, maintains robust by-laws and policies that are reviewed regularly, engages the services of a third-party bookkeeper, and maintains all appropriate insurance coverages. HCLT completed an independent audit of its 2024 financial statements and received an unqualified opinion.