The Land Trust Alliance’s annual convention, Rally, is underway at this time each fall.

Three of TILT’s staff have ventured off for the 2018 session, held this year in Pittsburgh. Rally moves around the country each year, so that it is really a nationwide gathering of land trust professionals and interested parties.

Spencer Busler, Assistant Director, Brandon Hollis, Stewardship Director, and Rebecca Dahl, Zenda Farms Program Director will attend workshops and seminars on topics including “Using Land Conservation to Capture Carbon,” and “Restoring Indigenous Landscape Management Practices.”

The best thing about Rally is the wonderful networking opportunities that develop spontaneously when hundreds of conservationists and land trust professionals gather for several days. “You learn as much or more from your conversations between sessions as the sessions themselves,” says Jake Tibbles.

TILT is especially pleased that Rebecca Dahl will be a presenter this year on the topic “Developing the Millennial Leaders that Land Trusts Need.” It is a timely topic as TILT is one of a number of established land trusts that are beginning to address the “next generation” of conservation challenges and opportunities.

Rebecca’s presentation will be an interactive session, led by millennial land trust staffers, and designed for board members, executive directors, supervisors, and other millennials. Rebecca and her co-leaders received over 500 responses to a survey of LTA professionals, and discussion will focus on what young staff members need and can offer, as well as mentorship programs and other conservation based initiatives to benefit the development of these staff members.

“After receiving over 500 responses on our survey, I’m looking forward to sharing our data with the greater land trust community and creating an opportunity for the next generation of conservation leaders to be heard,” said Rebecca.