Washington

1,002,413

Acres Protected

That’s about 759,404 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

Visitors in 2020, more than triple that of 2015.

Percent of Land Trusts That Provide Public Access to Their Lands

Land trusts provide opportunities to recreate and recharge.

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

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

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

88%

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

Youth education and development
Community and economic development
Food security and agriculture
Health and wellness
Social and environmental justice

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

Active Land Trusts

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

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

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

Learn about land trust accreditation

Members/financial supporters

25,824
Volunteers

3,948
Full-time staff

242
Part-time staff

73
Board members

392

Oldest

56 years old (1966)
Youngest

17 years old (2005)
Median age

32 years old

View website

Washington land trusts are stepping up to help tackle climate change, but they need increased financial and technical support to maximize their impact.

96%

56%

Washington State Department of Ecology - Floodplains by Design

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

2010

2015

2020

            Total acres protected
            
691,535
917,498
1,002,413
+45%

Under easement

65,349

98,265

133,380

+104%

Owned

93,915

126,165

153,382

+63%

Acquired and reconveyed

240,620

188,671

202,793

Protected by other means

291,653

453,369

512,858

+76%

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.

Source: 2020 National Land Trust Census

Source: Trust for Public Land's Conservation Almanac

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.

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

Addressing community needs: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the accredited Whidbey Camano Land Trust transformed their annual community engagement bike ride to a multi-day ride around their protected properties. The 2020 event engaged nearly 200 new people who reported their enjoyment of the protected farmland, prairie and beach.
Read more
Saving family farms: The accredited Jefferson Land Trust worked with a local owner to permanently protect SpringRain Farm & Orchard in Chimacum. The certified organic farm is committed to providing sustainably produced organic food for their local community.
Read more
Tackling climate change: After a series of devastating wildfires, the people of North Central Washington know the importance of managing landscapes for climate resilience. The accredited Chelan-Douglas Land Trust permanently protected 2,100 acres of the Cascades Modoc Highlands, which includes elevations and microclimates that support species movement to adapt to a changing climate.
Read more

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

20 acres protected in WA

1,455 acres protected in WA

948 acres protected in WA

6,538 acres protected in WA

1,589 acres protected in WA

4,357 acres protected in WA

26,647 acres protected in WA

47,360 acres protected in WA

140 acres protected in WA

5,616 acres protected in WA

2,525 acres protected in WA

1,309 acres protected in WA

228,700 acres protected in WA

1,325 acres protected in WA

10,706 acres protected in WA

17,047 acres protected in WA

17,542 acres protected in WA

4,171 acres protected in WA

1,095 acres protected in WA

10,400 acres protected in WA

7 acres protected in WA

8,786 acres protected in WA

3,687 acres protected in WA

13,231 acres protected in WA

625 acres protected in WA

141,673 acres protected in WA

1,138 acres protected in WA

19,511 acres protected in WA

93 acres protected in WA

10,268 acres protected in WA

105 acres protected in WA

7,722 acres protected in WA

92 acres protected in WA

284,883 acres protected in WA

83,035 acres protected in WA

2,172 acres protected in WA

3,019 acres protected in WA

25,124 acres protected in WA

10,103 acres protected in WA

621 acres protected in WA

1,002,413

Acres Protected

88%

96%

56%

Land conservation in your state.

Explore land trusts near you.

Make a lasting impact.