Land trusts come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and may represent a variety of interests. They range in scope from small volunteer groups to larger organizations with professional staff. The people behind these groups are strongly motivated by ideals and vision, yet their approach is very pragmatic. They are able to put their technical skills in real estate transactions, tax law, public relations, land management, and administration to work in preserving special places. A growing movement.
Land trusts are one of the fastest growing environmental movements.
New trusts are being created at the rate of about 75 per year, and there are currently over 1100 nationwide. Their efforts have led to the protection of roughly 3 million acres of land and have over 1,000,000 members. One of the reasons behind this growth is the local nature of trust activities. As local groups, they can exert great influence in their areas and don't have to wait for big government agencies to make decisions. We at the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County are one of your local land trusts.