A lot has changed in land conservation through the years. When I first joined this community, the Land Trust Alliance facilitated discussions at Rally on how the latest technologies — email and electronic bulletin boards — could connect land trusts with each other.

Thirty years later, we are deploying sophisticated social media tools to reach new audiences and land trusts are using remote monitoring technologies to monitor and steward their conserved lands. In recent years, the Alliance and our land trust community have expanded our conservation goals built primarily around “bucks and acres” to complementary objectives focused on building deep, lasting conservation outcomes that promote the health, resilience and cultural vitality of our communities.

The world we live and work in has changed too. Climate change effects are being felt more acutely, driving the urgency to act, and there is a growing recognition that not everyone has access to the many benefits the land provides. The Alliance has helped land trusts adapt and change to reflect these new realities by launching our land and climate program and our community-centered conservation program that provide training, technical guides and grant funding to implement new approaches to conservation.

We’ve grown our conservation defense department and federal advocacy program to protect the integrity and perpetuity of conservation easements.

To help land trusts take full advantage of Farm Bill funding for conservation, the Land Trust Alliance has built a long-standing relationship with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Through this partnership we have developed tools, training and resources for land trusts, and provided the agency with recommendations to strengthen Farm Bill programs. Moreover, we are pleased to share that the partnership is expanding to include several new staff who will provide technical assistance and direct support to land trusts applying for federal conservation easement programs.

Land trusts have already protected more than 61 million acres, and we have challenged the land trust community to protect an additional 60 million acres by the end of the decade. To do so, we must mobilize the next generation of people who care about saving land. That’s why the Alliance launched Gaining Ground, a national marketing campaign aimed at bringing in more supporters to conservation and the land trust community.

We are a more savvy and nimble organization today than ever before, using contributions effectively and offering innovative grants that meet land trusts’ evolving needs. This flexibility is critical in our rapidly changing world.

Also in 2023, generous supporters like you made it possible to provide $5.5 million in grants to land trusts for conservation work that addresses issues like climate change, succession planning and equitable access to the benefits of the land.

What hasn’t changed?

The answer to that one is easy: the people. This community attracts smart, dedicated and thoughtful people. And we remain a community of support, connection and kindness — values that link us together and stand the test of time.

And there is one thing that will not ever change: We will be here for each other, whether through the learning and connection of Rally, the guidance of steadfast leaders in our field or the care for our own well-being. It goes without saying that this would not happen without loyal supporters and partners working with us at every step along the way.

We are poised to do more. I look forward to seeing how far we will go.

The Alliance has dramatically expanded its scope and impact over the last decade. We have empowered land trusts to significantly expand their pace of land conservation with a goal of protecting an additional 60 million acres by the end of the decade.

In 2024 and beyond, we will focus our work on people and communities, including climate change, human health and well-being and equity. We will continue to grow our core services for the land trust community, strengthening land conservation and ensuring its bright future.

Thank you to our extraordinary land trust community, volunteers, donors, supporters and partners for doing this good work with us. Let’s do more together.

On-demand learning

In 2023, the Land Trust Alliance offered more than 40 webinars on topics ranging from board governance and stewardship to water issues. Conservationists can access thousands of resources on our Resource Center, including 70 practical pointers, or “technical guidance documents,” that cover land conservation law, easements, tax law and stewardship practices.   

 The Alliance released a Farm Bill Advocacy Toolkit to assist land trusts in successfully advocating for sound Farm bill policies that help land trusts support landowners in conserving the farmlands, ranchlands, forestlands and wetlands that are critical to providing a healthy future for all people.   

And the 14 online peer forums included conversations that touched on topics such as property naming policies, community-centered conservation, socially responsible investment portfolios and more.