Kibiuk Family Wildlife Sanctuary, Town of Trenton, Near the Village of Barneveld in Oneida County NY. In 2018 the Kibiuk Family reached out to Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust about protecting their Mother's property where they had already established a small wildlife sanctuary, seen here. In 2019 we put a conservation easement on the 21 acre property.
Photo by Dave Jabot, Conservation Director

Tucked between the Adirondack Mountains and Lake Ontario, in upstate New York, is the snowiest place east of the Rockies, with over 200 inches of snow annually. This is where you'll find Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust. Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust is named for the Tug Hill region -- one of the most rural and remote sections of New York State and the Northeast. Their mission is to protect wildlands, working forests and the farms of the Tug Hill Region and to promote appreciation of the region's natural and cultural heritage. They envision a region that includes a mix of wild forest lands, working forest lands, and farms that support thriving people and communities, ecologically, economically and socially.

We spoke with Jonathan J. "JJ" Schell, Associate Director of Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust, to learn more about their accreditation renewal process and outcomes. 

Q: How has Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust benefited from being an accredited organization?

A: Going through the accreditation renewal process continues to improve our organizational strategies, strengthen our policies and procedures. Accreditation also helps us become more effective and efficient in our work by providing a mechanism for self-evaluation and improvement.

Q: What resources were most helpful as Tug Hill Tomorrow prepared for was in the renewal process?

A: The resources that were most helpful to us, as a land trust, as we prepared for the renewal process was: the experience of having gone through the renewal process before; the use of Landscape Conservation Easement software; Land Trust Accreditation and Land Trust Alliance Reference materials, and internal organization spreadsheets and databases.

Beaver Pond at French Settlement Public Conservation Area, Town of Lorraine, Jefferson County NY. This beaver pond and surrounding wetland habitat is the jewel of the 125 acre public conservation area that was gifted to the Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust in the fall of 2020. Photo by Jonathan J. Schell, Associate Director.

Q: What has been the biggest success that you attribute to being accredited?

A: Accreditation has demonstrated to our partners, supporters, landowners, and most importantly our donors, that we follow rigorous standards that ensure we steward land and financial resources properly and effectively.

Q: Anything else you would like to share?

A: Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust Board of Director's Chairman Bob Keller, states that "Saving the working lands and waterways is a way to create a brighter tomorrow for us, our children and our grandchildren. Upholding the standards of Land Trust Accreditation has made us a stronger organization, and we will continue drawing upon this strength to make the Tug Hill region and surrounding area an even better place for everyone to live and play."

Thank you to Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust for sharing their accreditation story. Are you interested in sharing your story with the Commission? Please contact us at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .