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    Gaining Ground

    Oklahoma

    151,387

    Acres Protected

    That’s about 114,687 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.

    Demographics

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

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

    Active Land Trusts

    4

    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

    1

    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

    0

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

    Learn about land trust accreditation

    People

    • 134

    • 3

    • 2

    • 3

    • 23

    Land Trust Longevity

    • 24 years old (2000)

    • 15 years old (2009)

    • 21 years old

    Land Protected

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

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

    2010
    2015
    2020
    Total acres protected
    122,418
    141,137
    151,387
    +24%
    Under easement
    19,157
    23,673
    32,302
    +69%
    Owned
    69,352
    80,963
    83,511
    +20%
    Acquired and reconveyed
    31,097
    33,724
    34,422
    +11%
    Protected by other means
    2,812
    2,063
    1,152
    0%

    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

    82%

    Source: 2020 National Land Trust Census

    Total Public Funding for Conservation From 1998-2017

    $99 million

    Source: Trust for Public Land's Conservation Almanac

    Acres of Land Lost to Development From 2012-2017

    71,200

    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

    Oklahoma land trusts are gaining ground.

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

    • Ensuring water quality: The accredited Nature Conservancy planted 4,001 native trees at the Oka' Yanahli Preserve to restore streams and wetlands that feed the Blue River. The Blue River, one of only two in Oklahoma unimpeded by dams, is the water source for more than 150,000 people and contributes $928 million to $1.7 billion in ecosystem benefits each year.

      Read more

    • Conserving wildlife habitat: The Nature Conservancy in Oklahoma has joined forces with a broad range of groups to form the Oklahoma Monarch and Pollinator Collaborative. Oklahoma is centrally located in the monarch migration path but in order for these butterflies to thrive, they need ample food, shelter and breeding grounds during migration. The collaborative educates, engages and supports Oklahomans in protecting and enhancing monarch habitat.

      read more

    Land Trusts Working in Oklahoma

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

    Access Fund
    Access Fund
    Boulder, CO
    120 acres protected in OK
    American Farmland Trust
    American Farmland Trust
    Northampton, MA
    Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
    Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
    Memphis, TN
    1,125 acres protected in OK
    Edmond Land Conservancy
    Edmond Land Conservancy
    Edmond, OK
    182 acres protected in OK
    Mississippi River Trust
    Mississippi River Trust
    Stoneville, MS
    3,263 acres protected in OK
    National Park Trust
    National Park Trust
    Rockville, MD
    3 acres protected in OK
    Norman Area Land Conservancy
    Norman Area Land Conservancy
    Norman, OK
    897 acres protected in OK
    Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
    Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
    Missoula, MT
    Texas Agricultural Land Trust
    Texas Agricultural Land Trust
    San Antonio, TX
    10,362 acres protected in OK
    The Conservation Fund
    The Conservation Fund
    Arlington, VA
    11,334 acres protected in OK
    The Nature Conservancy
    The Nature Conservancy
    Arlington, VA
    107,802 acres protected in OK
    The Trust for Public Land, National Office
    The Trust for Public Land, National Office
    San Francisco, CA
    6,639 acres protected in OK