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Gaining Ground

Missouri

362,180

Acres Protected

That’s about 274,379 football fields!

Land trusts have already conserved 61 million acres of private land across the nation — more than all of the national parks combined. Help us conserve another 60 million acres by the end of the decade.

Together, let’s keep Gaining Ground.

Visitors to Land Trust Properties

36,263

Visitors in 2020, more than triple that of 2015.

Percent of Land Trusts That Provide Public Access to Their Lands

90%

Land trusts provide opportunities to recreate and recharge.

Number of People Served

8,535

Land trusts provide programs and activities to get people outside and learn about the land.

Miles of Trails

88

Walking, hiking and other outdoor recreation improve people's health and well-being.

Miles With Universal Access

41

Universal access trails are designed to be used by all people, regardless of ability.

Percent of Land Trusts Who Increased Community Engagement in the Last Five Years

67%

Land Trusts Are Deepening Relationships With:

  • People from various racial and ethnic backgrounds

  • Older adults or those living in retirement communities

  • People who identify as LGBTQ+

  • People living with disabilities

  • Veterans

Land Trusts Are Helping Address Community Needs, Including:

  • Youth education and development

  • Community and economic development

  • Food security and agriculture

  • Health and wellness

  • Social and environmental justice

Demographics

Every land trust is as unique as the community it serves.

California land trusts are community-led and supported and protect lands and waters that help the entire state.

Active Land Trusts

13

A land trust is a nonprofit that conserves land by acquiring and stewarding land or conservation easements.

Learn more about land trusts
Alliance Member Land Trusts

9

Land Trust Alliance members commit to adopting Land Trust Standards and Practices as their guiding principles.

Learn about the land trust alliance
Accredited Land Trusts

2

Accredited land trusts undergo a thorough review of their practices in governance, finance, transactions and stewardship.

Learn about land trust accreditation

People

  • Members/financial supporters

    3,468

  • Volunteers

    3,588

  • Full-time staff

    25

  • Part-time staff

    3

  • Board members

    138

Land Trust Longevity

  • Oldest

    60 years old (1962)

  • Youngest

    10 years old (2012)

  • Median age

    31 years old

Percent of Land Trusts Who Increased Focus on Climate Change in the Last Five Years

78%

Percent of Land Trusts Receiving Funding to Address Climate Change

33%

Sources of Funding to Address Climate Change

  • Missouri Department of Natural Resources

  • Federal Highway Administration

Land Protected

There has been a 7% increase in Missouri land protected by land trusts since 2010.

Acre by acre, land trusts are helping to conserve Missouri lands, waters and ways of life.

2010
2015
2020
Total acres protected
338,737
346,335
362,180
+7%
Under easement
27,065
31,552
46,062
+70%
Owned
179,514
185,098
188,110
+5%
Acquired and reconveyed
123,095
127,094
118,651
0%
Protected by other means
9,063
10,321
9,358
+3%

Disclaimer: Land trusts conserve land in many different ways and every project is unique. Category totals may change depending on how acres are reported by survey respondents to reflect the most current data and minimize double-counting. In some instances, the total may be greater than the sum of the separate categories due to organizations that provided total acres not broken down by category.

Percent of Land Owned and Under Easement Held by an Accredited Land Trust

36%

Source: 2020 National Land Trust Census

Total Public Funding for Conservation From 1998-2017

$302 million

Source: Trust for Public Land's Conservation Almanac

Acres of Land Lost to Development From 2012-2017

36,500

Source: NRCS - Natural Resources Inventory

This information reflects data collected in the National Land Trust Census, the longest-running comprehensive survey of private land conservation in America. Learn more about the Census and see which land trusts participated in the 2020 National Land Trust Census.

Making a Difference

Missouri land trusts are gaining ground.

Land trusts across the state are helping find solutions to some of Missouri's most pressing issues.

  • Protecting water quality: The Heartland Conservation Alliance is a member of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership that protects the nation's urban waterways. In the Kansas City metro area, the Blue River Urban Waters Federal Partnership seeks to catalyze the restoration and revitalization of the Middle Blue River.

    READ MORE

  • Tackling climate change: Ozark Land Trust has completed a 3,200-acre carbon offset project on its largest directly owned property. The carbon credits for the forested property were issued through the California Air Resources Board.

    Read more

  • Conserving wildlife habitat: The Missouri Prairie Foundation set a new world record at their Penn-Sylvania Prairie property — recent sampling showed 46 native plant species. The 160-acre property is also home to many grassland birds and five species of conservation concern, including the regal fritillary butterfly, prairie mole cricket and northern crawfish frog.

    Read more

Land Trusts Working in Missouri

Land Trust Alliance member land trusts, listed below, commit to adopting Land Trust Standards and Practices as their guiding principles.