Hi,
Just want to make sure I'm understanding this point correctly. If you go the financial support (offsite) path, is it true that literally all you have to do donate money to a land trust as long as it's accredited and within 100 miles from the project site?
It seems too easy given the v2009 requirements, where you had to actually have a specifically designated land area set aside with a conservation plan that you create with the landowners...but let me know if I'm overlooking something in v4!
Thanks,
Tracy
Kimberly Schlaepfer
Sustainability Coordinator LEED AP O+M, BD+C74 thumbs up
September 25, 2015 - 11:44 am
Hi Tracy,
You are correct that you can earn 1 point for providing financial support to a nationally or locally recognized land trust or conservation organization. However, the difference from v2009 is that the donation must be given annually, rather than for a set amount of time. Also, the land trust or conservation organization must be within the same EPA Level III ecoregion or the projects state. And finally the organization must be accredited by the Land Trust Alliance.
Tracy Smith
8 thumbs up
October 7, 2015 - 5:28 pm
Hi Kim,
Thanks for the response. I guess what I'm wondering is whether you simply have to make the yearly donation that you calculate based on your square footage to the land trust (as long as it's accredited, within your ecoregion, etc.), and it goes into their general fundraising pot, or if you need to actually come up with an official agreement with the land trust that designates the specific plot of land that your money will be going to support the purchase and/or maintenance of?
Kimberly Schlaepfer
Sustainability Coordinator LEED AP O+M, BD+C74 thumbs up
October 7, 2015 - 5:47 pm
Hi Tracy,
You will need to do the later, and have an official agreement with the land trust that designates a plot of land that your money will support the maintenance of. If you reference the credit form for this credit, it requests an official letter of support from the land trust that you develop an agreement with.
Tracy Smith
8 thumbs up
October 7, 2015 - 6:00 pm
Great, thanks for the clarification, Kimberly. One last follow-up question on this - do you know if your agreement with the land trust can say that your donation will be going towards the eventual purchase of a new plot of land that other people would contribute to as well? In other words, if the land trust you work with has it's sights set on a piece of land, but your total donation wouldn't be sufficient on its own to make that purchase, so the donation gets put in a pool for a future land purchase. Would that be alright, or does it need to support a full plot on its own and in the immediate future?
Kimberly Schlaepfer
Sustainability Coordinator LEED AP O+M, BD+C74 thumbs up
October 7, 2015 - 6:15 pm
Hi Tracy,
I believe as long as the financial contribution of the correct amount is given to the land trust, they can make the decision for the best use of the money. It is no longer on you all to make sure the money goes to a "specific plot". The land trust (the Nature Conservancy is a very common one, who is aware of the LEED credit requirements) will send you a summary of the land your money went toward protecting, regardless if your money actually went specifically toward that plot of land. Does that make sense?
Tracy Smith
8 thumbs up
October 7, 2015 - 6:22 pm
Got it - that does make sense. Thanks a ton for your help on this!
Joanna Peacock
Lead Sustainability ConsultantEight Associates
December 13, 2016 - 11:57 am
Does anybody know if the 100 mile distance is as the crow flies from the project site? OR is it the drivable distance?
Thank you for your help!
Trista Brown
Project DirectorWSP USA
449 thumbs up
December 13, 2016 - 12:31 pm
Hi Joanna, it's a 100-mile radius, as the crow flies.
Joanna Peacock
Lead Sustainability ConsultantEight Associates
December 13, 2016 - 12:46 pm
Thank you Trista! I'm also struggling to find guidance on exactly what organisation would count in the UK for the financial contribution. The language states it must be dedicated to a qualifying land trust or conservation organization, but how do I qualify this exactly?
Appreciate any clarification you can provide.
Joanna
Trista Brown
Project DirectorWSP USA
449 thumbs up
December 21, 2016 - 6:11 pm
Hi Joanna, non-U.S. projects need to work with an organization that's located within 100 miles of the project (see page 70 of the Reference Guide). Otherwise the RG just says that for non-U.S. projects, the conservation organization or land trust must be "nationally or locally recognized". The specific accreditation requirement is only applicable to U.S. projects (since the referenced Land Trust Alliance only works within the U.S). The Required Documentation table on page 72 also gives some hints about what's required for non-U.S. projects. Hope this helps!