Great Nonprofits

I have followed the activities of ALC since its formation nearly two decades ago. Under the vision and direction of its founder and 15-year CEO, Harriet Burgess. It went where other land trusts were reluctant to go -- into high-risk projects of size, complexity and difficulty. For example, its landmark Hearst Ranch project near Big Sur. ALC has a staff of idealistic, creative, energetic, environmentalists who were able to accomplish the highly improbable, and the continue to forge ahead.

ALC is incredibly cost effective in their land conservation efforts. They work on truly worthwhile preservation projects, and are often willing to tackle projects that other land conservation groups find too difficult.

After my initial exposure to American Land Conservancy through the members of the Mississippi River Program, I was impressed enough with their work to become familiar and active with the organization. Their ability to work in an efficient and timely manner as well as their passion for conservation and preservation of natural resources allows them to be respected by partners across the board. Wetlands have long been my passion (having served as state chairman of Ducks Unlimited) I found that the work and position of ALC in the Mississippi River Program to further that passion.

ALC defies the traps that traditional conservation organizations fall into: large overhead, bureaucratic processes, mission creep. By doing so they fill the invaluable roll in land and water conservation in the US by being able to respond quickly, creatively and powerfully to the most pressing projects. ALC finds a way to make the impossible projects work.

As a small, highly professional nonprofit, ALC is flexible and talented enough to tackle large projects nationwide. ALC has undertaken Herculean efforts to save amazing places like the 80,000-acre Hearst Ranch in California (and its stunning associated coastline!) and the majestic islands of the Kodiak Archipelago in Alaska (home to the Kodiak Bear, the largest terrestrial carnivore on earth). ALC is always looking for the next special place to protect, and the staff have proven time and again that they can pull it off. As a former employee of ALC for 2.5 years, I can tell you that the people who work here are passionate about what they do. I am proud to rate them five stars.

The American Land Conservancy is the type of organization that all nonprofits should attempt to emulate and one that I am proud to represent as a member of its Board of Directors. Through increasingly difficult economic times it has managed to adapt it business model while continuing in its mission to preserve scenic beauty for a wide cross section of Americans, both current and future generations.

ALC has been an outstanding, extraordinarily effective conservation organization. Despite significant obstacles, it secured the in-perpetuity protection of the 83,000-acre Hearst Ranch in San Luis Obispo County, where other conservation groups had failed. ALC is known for crafting creative solutions to land use problems, and most efficiently securing protection of critical resources and landscape-scale projects throughout the nation, for people and wildlife.