National Land Trust Accreditation

When Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance (SoWBA, formerly called Madison Audubon) purchased its first piece of land in 1968, we accepted the enormous responsibility to protect, restore, and manage that piece and all of our lands for birds, wildlife and people—in perpetuity. In order to honor that obligation, SoWBA is committed to meeting the highest standards for excellence, accountability and permanence in our work. This thread weaves throughout the organization as we work to demonstrate professional and ethical business practices, responsible governance, public transparency, sound financial management, and strategic decision-making.

We are very proud to display the accreditation seal awarded by the National Land Trust Accreditation Commission that affirms we meet national standards for excellence, public trust, and permanence of our conservation efforts.

Our policies and procedures have been thoroughly reviewed by our staff, committees, board, and the Accreditation Commission to ensure they are efficient, effective, and meet rigorous standards. We invite you to browse these documents to see how we are working. You can find out more about our financial health, practices, and transparency here.

• Organizational Bylaws

• Land and Easement Acquisition Policy

• Easement Amendment Policy

• Easement Enforcement Policy

• Project Selection Criteria

• Site Inspection Report Template

• Land Project Assessment Form

• Project Tracking Checklist

• Baseline Documentation Report

• Guidelines for Appraisal Requirements for Gifts of Land or Easements

SoWBA will continually look to adapt and improve the way we do business to secure a bright future for the organization, the land we protect, and the birds we all love.

BANNER PHOTO: The sky is the limit over this beautiful tamarack at Faville Grove Sanctuary. Photo by Drew Harry.