Where land meets legacy
Discover how land trusts are protecting Canada’s natural spaces and find out how you can support conservation efforts.
Deverell-Morton Nature Reserve
What is a land trust?
Land trusts are a non-profit charitable organization that holds as its core values the conservation of private property through donation, acquisition and/or conservation agreements (easements and covenants).
Bowen Island, Ontario, conserved by The Kensington Conservancy
What lands do they protect?
As opposed to a government sponsored conservation area, these land trusts protect private land in perpetuity, assuring the land stays conserved for generations to come.
The hallmark of a land trust is the direct action they take to protect the local land base, and that they hold those lands or conservation easements in trust for future generations.
Who can form a land trust?
A land trust can be set up by a group eligible to form a non-profit charitable society or organization. Thinking about starting a land trust? Learn what it takes to establish a land trust and how your group can contribute to conservation efforts.
“It is our natural spaces that hold the memories of our lives—and the stories of our family members that came before us. We all need to think about how we can contribute to our collective future prosperity.”
—Dennis Kingston, New Brunswick Nature Trust land donor
Joaquin Riesgo
Discover the national impact!
Land Trusts in Canada
Provide significant nature-based climate solutions through protection and restoration of carbon-rich habitats.
Establish a network of protected spaces with corridors that protect critical habitat for species at risk and broader biodiversity.
Contribute to the national goals of conserving 30% of land and water by 2030.
Likely grow and gain greater economic importance particularly by contributing to ecological goods and services that would otherwise require infrastructure development.
Work with local communities to protect natural spaces, promote conservation, and engage citizens in environmental stewardship.
Collaborate with Indigenous communities to support land protection, respect cultural knowledge, and foster reconciliation through meaningful partnerships.
Joaquin Riesgo
Explore the land trusts in your area through your provincial alliance’s website:
For the Prairies and Atlantic Provinces, you can still discover local land trusts dedicated to conservation.
Check out the list of organizations working to protect these vital landscapes.
Big Island, ON
Big (Boyd/Chiminis) Island, conserved by Kawartha Land Trust, is the largest undeveloped island in the Kawarthas, home to pristine wetlands, lush forests, and diverse plant and wildlife species.
La Tourbière de Saint-Joachim-de-Shefford, QC
The Saint-Joachim-de-Shefford peat bog is a wetland with an area of approximately 200 hectares. Photo Joaquin Riesgo.
Conservation Area, AB
Rosebud River Conservation Area, Spruce Coulee Farms, Alberta. Courtesy Western Sky Land Trust.
Bowen Island, BC
Walking down to the coastal bluffs at the Cape Conservation Area, Bowen Island BC. Photo Owen Plowman. Courtesy Bowen Island Conservancy.
Blue Mt Wilderness Connector, NS
Swirling morning mists and shoreline at a protected part of Cox Lake in the Blue Mountain- Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area near Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Photo Irwin Barrett.
Riverside Woods, ON
Riverside Woods Nature Reserve, conserved by Bruce Trail Conservancy, spans 88 hectares of diverse forests, lush meadows, and wildlife habitats.
YOU can make a difference too!
