The Land Trust’s 2010 strategic plan lays out a vision for the organization for the next five to ten years. It articulates what we intend to accomplish and how we plan to do it.

Goal 1

Preserve 10,000 acres of land with ecological, agricultural, scenic and recreational value to complete the Land Trust’s strategic conservation plan and to ensure meaningful land preservation throughout Hunterdon County.

     Strategies

• Create a strategic conservation plan; map the county and prioritize properties for preservation.
• Develop relationships with landowners of priority properties.
• Coordinate the funding/ partners for high priority and feasible deals.
• Complete conservation real estate transactions.

Goal 2

Maintain or improve the ecological, agricultural, recreational and historic values of our properties as defined by each property’s management plan.

     Strategies

• Complete a baseline report for each preserved property – owned and easement protected.
• Monitor all conservation easements and fee owned properties annually.
• Complete management plans for owned properties and those we manage for conservation partners.
• Engage the community in land management; use properties as educational tool to showcase responsible land stewardship and resource protection.
• Estimate long-term stewardship costs (based on management plans and easement responsibilities) and create and build stewardship endowment.

Goal 3

Ten percent of households (about 4500) throughout Hunterdon County are active conservation supporters and know that the Hunterdon Land Trust is the county’s leading nonprofit land conservation organization.

Strategies

• Define target markets (people who are likely to be conservation supporters but are not currently active.
• Create a marketing plan.
• Create and manage compelling and interactive conservation information material.
• Build and strengthen relationships with the conservation community.
• Mobilize active supporters on critical conservation decisions.
• Create and implement a purposeful media/public relations strategy.
• Utilize the historic Case-Dvoor Farm as a place for education and outreach.

Goal 4

The land trust has adequate staff capacity, engaged board members and the technology and equipment to efficiently and effectively achieve its goals.

Strategies

• Ensure sufficient staff capacity.
• Build a fundraising board of trustees.
• Invest in technology and information management systems.
• Continue to improve policies, procedures, systems for national land trust accreditation.
• Invest in the “ideal” office environment for the land trust at the historic Case-Dvoor Farm and make it a place of pride and of connection.

Goal 5

Raise $6 million dollars from diverse sources to build a sustainable and stable financial portfolio including a permanent stewardship endowment, capital improvement fund, and operating reserves.

Strategies

• Create a long term fundraising plan to build more diverse funding base of support with specific goals to increase individual donors, business support, major gifts, and grant support.
• Evaluate revenue generating strategies.
• Explore feasibility of a capital campaign.