Edmonton and Area Land Trust (EALT) is a regional non-profit organization

Non-profit organization

Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...

 based in Edmonton

Edmonton

Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...

, Alberta

Alberta

Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. The EALT promotes conservation of the natural heritage of Edmonton and area through private stewardship , and is registered as a charitable agency with the Canada Revenue Agency

Canada Revenue Agency

The Canada Revenue Agency is a federal agency that administers tax laws for the Government of Canada and for most provinces and territories, international trade legislation, and various social and economic benefit and incentive programs delivered through the tax system...

.

Mission

The Edmonton and Area Land Trust (EALT) will be recognized as a not-for-profit leader in the selection, securement and stewardship of natural area systems, appropriate natural interconnections and cultural heritage landscapes in the Edmonton area primarily for the use, enjoyment or benefit of its present and future citizens, and play a key role in the social, economic, and environmental life of the residents of the area.

Method

EALT approaches the conservation of natural areas through land trust

Land trust

There are two distinct definitions of a land trust:* a private, nonprofit organization that, as all or part of its mission, actively works to conserve land by undertaking or assisting in land or conservation easement acquisition, or by its stewardship of such land or easements; or* an agreement...

 using three basic tools:

• Land acquisition through purchase or donation
• Conservation easement
  Conservation easement
  In the United States, a conservation easement is an encumbrance — sometimes including a transfer of usage rights — which creates a legally enforceable land preservation agreement between a landowner and a government agency or a qualified land...
  
  
• Education and stewardship

History

The EALT was established in 2007 by a group of six founders:

• Legacy Lands Conservation Society
• City of Edmonton
• Edmonton Community Foundation
• Edmonton Nature Club
• Land Stewardship Centre of Canada
• Urban Development Institute - Greater Edmonton Chapter

Current Projects include Hicks and Golden Ranches

See also

• Land trust
  Land trust
  There are two distinct definitions of a land trust:* a private, nonprofit organization that, as all or part of its mission, actively works to conserve land by undertaking or assisting in land or conservation easement acquisition, or by its stewardship of such land or easements; or* an agreement...
  
  
• Conservation Movement
  Conservation movement
  The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future....
  
  
• Wildlife Preservation Canada
  Wildlife Preservation Canada
  Wildlife Preservation Canada is a non-profit, non-governmental organization working on conservation and captive breeding issues in Canada. It is headquartered in Guelph, Ontario....
  
  
• Ecotrust Canada
  Ecotrust Canada
  Ecotrust Canada is a registered charity in Canada whose mission is to build a conservation economy. Founded in 1994, the organization currently has offices in Vancouver, Tofino and Prince Rupert, BC.- Approach and Initiatives :...
  
  
• Georgian Bay Land Trust
  Georgian Bay Land Trust
  The Georgian Bay Land Trust is a not-for-profit, registered charity, whose goal is to protect the uniqueness of the eastern shore and North Channel of Georgian Bay through the securement and on-going stewardship of land that has ecological, geological and historical importance.Through this work,...