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National Land Trusts
National land trusts are larger organizations, and they provide major support in a number of important areas.
- American Farmland Trust »
- Land Trust Alliance »
- River Network »
- The Nature Conservancy »
- Trust for Public Land »
American Farmland Trust
The purpose of the American Farmland Trust is to work with farmers, business people, legislators, and conservationists to encourage sound farming practices and to preserve America’s most critical agricultural resources. It provides advice on ways to include conservation strategies in land use and on estate plans for farmers. They accept donations of land and conservation easements for conservation purposes.
Land Trust Alliance
The Land Trust Alliance is an umbrella group based in Washington, D.C. that serves as a network, providing education, training, and technical assistance to local and regional land trusts. The Trust’s mission is to strengthen the land trust movement and help land trusts save land by providing information and education, fostering supportive public policies, and building public awareness of land trusts and their goals.
River Network
River Network helps people organize to protect and restore rivers and watersheds. They support river and watershed advocates at the local, state, and regional level, helping them to build effective organizations and work together.
River Network also acquires and conserves lands that are critical to the ecosystem services rivers perform: floodplain management, fish and wildlife habitat, recreation, and open space. In the Northwest, River Network has acquired over 20,000 acres on the Skagit, Stillaguamish, and other rivers.
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is an international, non-profit, science-based, membership organization whose mission is to preserve the best examples of communities, eco-systems, and endangered species representing the diversity of life on Earth.
The Conservancy owns and manages the world’s largest system of private nature sanctuaries, including more than 30 preserves in Washington. TNC provides information on the identification, protection, and stewardship of natural areas. They often work in partnerships with public agencies and private organizations to identify, secure, and manage significant natural lands.
Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national non-profit land conservation organization dedicated to conserving land for people to enjoy as parks, community gardens, recreational, and natural areas. It is a problem-solving organization that helps communities, public agencies, and non-profit groups acquire and protect open space for public use. They often work as a quick response transfer agent, negotiating donations or land transfers from landowner to TPL, or to a government agency for permanent stewardship.