Conservation on Private Lands
The majority of at-risk species and habitats depend on private land. Private landowners have many options for protecting and enhancing the habitat and wildlife on their property. Many agencies and organizations assist landowners through partnerships, funding, technical assistance, and volunteer projects.
Land Trusts
Land trusts, or land conservancies, are nonprofit organizations that permanently protect private land through purchasing or accepting donated land or through purchasing or accepting conservation easements. In addition to several large land trusts that work nationally and internationally, there is probably a local land trust working near you to protect land with significant ecological, scenic, open space, farm, or forest values.
Canadian Land Trust Alliance
The Canadian Land Trust Alliance works with land trusts across Canada to promote private land conservation and to strengthen the land trust movement nationally. Learn more about how land trusts work and find a local land trust in Canada.
Land Trust Alliance (USA)
The Land Trust Alliance works with over 1,500 land trusts across the United Sates to save natural areas and promote land conservation. Learn more about how land trusts work and find a local land trust in the United States.
Incentive Programs
Many private landowners want to manage their property to benefit fish and wildlife habitat. Federal, state, and local government agencies offer incentive programs to landowners for habitat conservation on private lands.
Types of incentives include: cost-share payments, property or income tax benefits, regulatory streamlining, and technical assistance. Incentives can make habitat conservation economically feasible and also can serve as a reward for good stewardship.
U.S. Federal Government Programs
The U.S. federal government offers a number of different incentive programs to encourage private landowners to participate in conservation activities on their property.
- The Natural Resources Conservation Service is the largest source of funding for conservation on private lands in the United States. Some programs focus on wildlife and habitat.
- The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offers a variety of natural resource assistance grants to governments, organizations, and individuals.
- The U.S. Forest Service offers landowner assistance programs to connect people to resources, ideas, and one another so they can care for forests and sustain their communities.
Washington Incentive Programs
The Washington Biodiversity Council tracks incentive programs currently available in Washington State.
Oregon Incentive Programs
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife tracks incentive programs currently available in Oregon.
Idaho Incentive Programs
The Idaho Fish and Game Department tracks incentive programs currently available in Idaho.
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