Support Our Work
Membership and Volunteer Information
Whether you own land or not, you can be an important participant in the Land Trust. The Blue Mountain Land Trust thrives on the energy, expertise, skills and community contacts provided by our many members and volunteers. We rely on membership dues and cash donations to educate property owners, support land protection efforts, and raise public awareness of our mission. Join our efforts and enjoy a sense of partnership as you pass each special landscape that has been protected with your help.
Now available: Donations online using PayPal
- Become a Member - Printable PDF
- Be a Volunteer - Printable PDF
Your Support Matters!
An example of stewardship in action
The Parks and Civic Arts Club, a women's organization, secured labor, funds and materials for the development of some of the early parks in Walla Walla, including Pioneer Park. They also help with the parks' ongoing recreation programs and maintenance.
Pioneer Park's history began on March 5, 1901, when the City Council declared that a particular lot of land, purchased two years earlier, would be developed into a public recreation space. Pioneer Park's land, a ruined 40-acre farm, had a history as a racetrack, fairgrounds, and as a reservoir. Locals had talked of selling it to a developer, which sparked a political battle. The land and the people won. The City of Walla Walla assumed responsibility for the park in 1941.
From our President
BMLT produces lumpy goods. I am not talking about mattresses or Thanksgiving gravy. By "lumpy" I mean we mark our progress by major achievements separated by extended periods of negotiations. We do not serve up a smooth stream of valued services. When we talk about agreements that combine "land" and "In perpetuity" in the same document, time slows down. People reasonably take time to sort out what they really want. Some families back out entirely. Others work with us to craft agreements that pledge to protect their land in perpetuity.
The difference "lumpiness" makes is that we are bashful about asking people for support. We fret about how we should respond to the challenge of "what have you done for us lately" when we ask for support. Slowly we are learning that our unique contribution is being a community asset that is positioned to make conservation work for landowners whenever appropriate opportunities arise.
We have worked over the last year to solidify this position. We have produced a strategic plan and a fund-raising plan; we are doing what is necessary to meet requirements of eventual land trust accreditation; we have adopted a plan to achieve financial sustainability and a multi-year budget. We want to leverage the "creditworthiness" earned by our own organization by seeking capacity-building grants. Our goal is to build the staff and programs to take us to the next level of organizational capability and to fill a pipeline of projects sufficient to smooth out our "lumpiness."
Do not fear that building our organization is coming at the expense of BMLT's passion; rather, we are building the capacity to realize our passion. Never have we had so many projects on the agenda, from mature easements ready for resolution to proposals in the pre-planning stage. We are being pushed to contemplate projects outside our comfort zone, with new partners, and in areas a little beyond our usual reference. And we are giving thought to a proposal that may eventuate in our first appeal to the public to support a conservation acquisition.
These are exciting times of challenged growth for BMLT. Please join us as we work to build a sustainable organization committed to the conservation goals we share.
Don Schwerin, President