Land is the key to clean water.

We can't afford to let our wells and water taps run dry or become polluted. What happens on land directly impacts the quality of the water flowing from it.

  • Land management, land use and land cover are key to reversing the impacts of pollution and restoring healthier water quality to the 100,000 rivers and streams feeding into the Chesapeake Bay estuary — the largest estuary in the nation and third largest in the world.

  • Many partners, including local land trusts, are working to protect lands, restore habitat and secure water flows to Utah's Great Salt Lake, which is experiencing immense drought and water supply pressures.

  • Conserving more than 160,000 acres of land above Texas' Edwards Aquifer has helped protect the quality of the primary source of drinking water for nearly 2 million people living in central Texas.

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.

Land trusts are gaining ground for water.

Forests, grasslands, farmlands and other green spaces all have important roles to play in filtering and storing the fresh water that supports wildlife and healthy communities. Land trusts around the country are deepening their involvement in water issues related to pollution, drought and floods from extreme weather events.

Together, let’s keep Gaining Ground.

Land trusts at work

Learn how land trusts across the country are gaining ground for water.