Purpose & goals
The nation's longest-running survey of private land conservation, the Census is both a benchmark and a snapshot of the land trust movement and its collective impact on people and communities across the country.
The Census is more than just data:
At the state level, Census results demonstrate the impact of conservation in your region, in the places you know best.
At the national level, the Census gives us a chance to look back, take stock and see how far we’ve come together.
What to expect
January 2026Data collection
The survey is now closed. Thank you to the more than 400 organizations who participated!
Spring and summer 2026Data clean-up and analysis
Alliance staff will check all responses for errors and inconsistencies with past Census surveys.
We'll work with web developers and visual designers to create engaging state and national summaries.
Summer 2026Prepare for launch
The Alliance will create external communications materials, such as infographics, press releases, magazine article and a summary report.
Where possible, we'll use your organization's data to update select datapoints on Find a Land Trust.
Fall 2026Results released
The Alliance will help land trusts create opportunities for state, local and national press coverage.
We'll provide easy to use media templates to help you share your work in a national context.
Counting what matters
Every land trust is as unique as the community it serves. Your stories show the collective impact of land trusts across the country to protect land and address the needs of their communities.
Read more