Land Trust Alliance hosts largest US gathering of land conservation leaders at Rally: The National Land Conservation Conference; New Orleans event attracts more than 1,500 attendees and marks LTA's 40th anniversary

Sample article from our Forestry & Timberland

NEW ORLEANS , September 19, 2022 (press release) –

This week, the Land Trust Alliance is hosting the nation’s largest gathering of land conservation leaders in New Orleans, Louisiana, following two years of hosting the annual event virtually. 2022 marks the 40th anniversary of the Land Trust Alliance and the 35th anniversary of Rally: The National Land Conservation Conference.

More than 1,500 people from throughout the United States and beyond will attend Rally 2022, which begins Sept. 15 and concludes Sept. 17. Attendees will hear from multiple keynote speakers of national renown, including Colette Pichon Battle(link is external), a generational native of Bayou Liberty, Louisiana, and founder of the Gulf Coast Center for Law and Policy(link is external) (now Taproot Earth(link is external)). Colette has tirelessly worked to raise awareness on equitable disaster recovery, migration, economic development, climate justice and energy democracy. She was also named a 2019 Obama Fellow for organizing Black and Native climate justice and collaboration in the Gulf South.

Attendees will also hear from a group of panelists who bring a variety of experiences and perspectives to the issue of inclusivity in land conservation. Those panelists include Mavis Gragg, co-founder of HeirShares(link is external)​ and Director of Sustainable Forestry and African American Land Retention at the American Forest Foundation(link is external)​; Gabe Sheoships, executive director of Friends of Tryon Creek(link is external) ​and the lead facilitator of the Oregon Land Justice Project(link is external)​ and chair of Nesika Wilamut(link is external); and Raul “Rocci” ​Aguirre,​ deputy executive director of the Adirondack Council(link is external)​, regional commissioner of New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation (Saratoga-Capital District)​ and co-founder of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative(link is external)​.

The Alliance will also honor outstanding leaders in the field of conservation, including Ebonie Alexander, executive director of the Black Family Land Trust(link is external) and the first person of color to serve on the board of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. Alexander will receive the Kingsbury Browne Conservation Leadership Award.

And the Alliance has partnered with the U.S. Forest Service on our 2022 Scholars for Conservation Leadership program — a career-and-leadership-development program aimed at expanding opportunities for student leaders majoring in environmental studies to pursue careers in natural resource management and conservation. The program was initiated in 2019 to provide undergraduate students from communities historically underrepresented in land conservation an opportunity to participate in a professional development experience here at Rally. 

Land Trust Alliance is also proud to be partnering on Rally with local organizations like Land Trust for Louisiana(link is external), which soon will hold the conservation easement on Live Oak Farm(link is external), a rice farm operating in Vermilion Parish. Operated by the same family for more than 100 years, Live Oak Farm is one of Louisiana’s largest rice farms and the site of the state's first Agricultural Land Easement (ALE). This special place is being managed by a new generation of family members who are cultivating an integrated, symbiotic system with rice production, enhancement of wildlife habitat and responsible protection of the watershed. The ALE easement will help safeguard agricultural production and bird habitat as Louisiana’s coastal marshes disappear. It highlights the important role that conservation can play in building resiliency across our vulnerable coastal ecosystems.

Featuring 85 workshops, 11 seminars, two plenary sessions and seven field trips focused on climate mitigation and resilience in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast, Rally is the nation’s largest annual gathering of land conservation professionals. Attendees will connect with their peers, advance their skills and work to solve some of their greatest professional challenges. More information about Rally is available at www.alliancerally.org(link is external).

* All content is copyrighted by Industry Intelligence, or the original respective author or source. You may not recirculate, redistrubte or publish the analysis and presentation included in the service without Industry Intelligence's prior written consent. Please review our terms of use.

More from our Forestry & Timberland Coverage
See our dashboard in action - schedule an demo
Dan Rivard
Dan Rivard
- VP Market Development -

We offer built-to-order forestry & timberland coverage for our clients. Contact us for a free consultation.

About Us

We deliver market news & information relevant to your business.

We monitor all your market drivers.

We aggregate, curate, filter and map your specific needs.

We deliver the right information to the right person at the right time.

Our Contacts

1990 S Bundy Dr. Suite #380,
Los Angeles, CA 90025

+1 (310) 553 0008

About Cookies On This Site

We collect data, including through use of cookies and similar technology ("cookies") that enchance the online experience. By clicking "I agree", you agree to our cookies, agree to bound by our Terms of Use, and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. For more information on our data practices and how to exercise your privacy rights, please see our Privacy Policy.