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Gaining Ground

Vermont

1,307,802

Acres Protected

That’s about 990,759 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

48,210

Visitors in 2020, more than triple that of 2015.

Percent of Land Trusts That Provide Public Access to Their Lands

85%

Land trusts provide opportunities to recreate and recharge.

Number of People Served

4,127

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

Miles of Trails

61

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

Miles With Universal Access

6

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

75%

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.

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

Active Land Trusts

26

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

17

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

5

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

    21,511

  • Volunteers

    1,565

  • Full-time staff

    61

  • Part-time staff

    26

  • Board members

    267

Land Trust Longevity

  • Oldest

    112 years old (1910)

  • Youngest

    15 years old (2007)

  • Median age

    33 years old

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

75%

Percent of Land Trusts Receiving Funding to Address Climate Change

38%

Sources of Funding to Address Climate Change

  • Vermont Fish and Wildlife

Land Protected

There has been a 24% increase in Vermont land protected by land trusts since 2010.

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

2010
2015
2020
Total acres protected
1,056,881
1,201,594
1,307,802
+24%
Under easement
526,699
562,927
651,075
+24%
Owned
247,015
285,833
264,004
+7%
Acquired and reconveyed
170,707
170,930
252,770
+48%
Protected by other means
112,460
167,199
139,954
+24%

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

96%

Source: 2020 National Land Trust Census

Total Public Funding for Conservation From 1998-2017

$269 million

Source: Trust for Public Land's Conservation Almanac

Acres of Land Lost to Development From 2012-2017

10,300

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

Vermont land trusts are gaining ground.

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

  • Tackling climate change: The accredited Vermont Land Trust teaches landowners about the importance of creating a “meander belt,” a swath of undisturbed floodplain that lets the river channel move as needed. Since Hurricane Irene dumped 11 inches on the region in 2011, VLT has completed numerous “river corridor easements” to prevent shoreline armoring.

    Read more

  • Protecting land for future generations: The accredited Stowe Land Trust owns and manages a 31-acre site that houses an inn built in the 1930s. The land trust has found ways to preserve the historic site and share it with their community.

    Read more

Land Trusts Working in Vermont

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