Great Lakes Watershed Land Trust Assessment: Accelerating Land Conservation to Protect and Improve Water Quality

Land trusts play a critical role in protecting, restoring and stewarding Great Lakes water quality. They are one of many players working to protect the ecological, cultural and economic values of this region and fill a unique niche in the multitude of efforts that collectively protect our Great Lakes.

In 2019 and 2020 the Land Trust Alliance conducted an assessment of how land trusts are protecting Great Lakes water quality and what elements could help them have more impact.

We hope that this assessment report provides a baseline understanding of the current state of how land trusts are protecting water quality and is a catalyst for discussion, transformation and support for land trusts seeking to pioneer creative approaches to restoring and protecting Great Lakes water quality.

This assessment was made possible with the generous support and partnership of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.