North Branch Land Trust is a private non-profit land conservation organization and to that end we rely on membership, donations, gifts, and volunteer support to help fulfill our mission which is to “work in partnership with landowners and their communities to conserve the scenic, natural and working landscapes that sustain us.” The staff, Board of Directors and volunteers work to fulfill the Trust’s conservation efforts in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Besides working to conserve critical wildlife habitat, open space, forestlands, viewsheds, and farmland, the Trust also conducts a variety of community outreach events to educate landowners, municipal officials, and key community leaders on the importance of smart growth strategies that reduce sprawl type development and recognize the value of natural lands.
Examples of community outreach events conducted by the Land Trust include but are not limited to: Staff presentations on the socioeconomic benefits of land conservation; Staff and guest lectures on the long term social and economic costs of poorly planned development; Naturalist seminars on regional plant and animal species and the need to protect habitat; Naturalist led hikes to ecologically significant sites; Trust led kayak and boating trips on regional waters; Membership Committee events to build awareness of the Land Trust’s activities and increase the Trust’s membership numbers; Development Committee events to build major donor support and increase the success of major fund raising efforts; Volunteer recruitment events to build a robust volunteer network of individuals with a variety of skill sets.
We are always looking for committee support in various areas including: Membership and Outreach which helps build community awareness and build membership, Development/Fundraising which works to build major giving efforts, and the Land Committee which monitors easements and fee owned properties, and reviews easement and fee acquisition projects. Moreover, we are always in need of individuals and groups to help out with such tasks as bulk mailings, preserve clean-ups and trail building, filing and recordkeeping, website maintenance, legal work, and other tasks as needed for time-to-time. So, if you think you would like to get involved on a committee, volunteer your time or services, or just learn more about what we do, please contact us via phone, facebook, email, snail mail, or carrier pigeon.
Those who give of their time and talents to land conservation efforts are people of diverse backgrounds, political persuasions, and interests. What they share is a belief that conservation and development are not mutually exclusive, and that effective planning can provide both economic growth and conservation of natural areas.
It is no use saying ‘we are doing our best.’ You have got to succeed in doing what is necessary. (Winston Churchill)
