Conservation Trusts are non-profit, non-governmental conservation organizations that actively work to protect natural resources through partnerships with private and public landowners. Barrington Area Conservation Trust is this type of organization.  Conservation Trusts range from small conservation groups operated by volunteers to large conservation trusts managed by a professional staff.  Some conservation trusts do not own land but monitor conservation restrictions they helped put in place.

A Legacy of Land

Conservation Trust properties are everywhere...precious prairie habitat...productive farmland...working forests...trails and rivers maintained for hikers and anglers to enjoy.  Conservation restrictions put in place by conservation trusts guarantee that such resources are protected and preserved for generations to come.  It is no surprise.  People who love the land have always found a way to preserve nature's treasures.

The People Behind a Conservation Trust

Conservation Trusts are run by people who understand what's important in their community.  When a landowner wants to turn their personal love of the land into a commitment to protect that land, they ask a local conservation trust for help in achieving their goal. Conservation trust volunteers bring a variety of skills to the table.  They are involved in real estate, ecology, education, communications, fundraising, and management of nonprofit organizations. What these conservation volunteers have in common is an abiding interest in protecting natural resources and preserving our natural heritage.  Conservation trusts are the fastest growing conservation movement in the US.  Some of the most committed people behind a conservation trust are the landowners themselves.  They care about protecting their land and want to leave a legacy for future generations.  They know their partnership with a conservation trust is the key to securing that legacy.

Many Ways to Care for the Land

Local conservation trusts promote a variety of conservation options that provide permanent protection for significant areas.  For conservation minded landowners, such protection strategies are both practical and essential to preserving the land.  A landowner may choose to donate or sell property to a conservation trust to ensure permanent protection.  Or the landowner may donate a conservation easement.  An easement places protective restrictions on present and future uses while the landowner retains ownership and use of the land.  In all cases, the conservation trust and the landowner work together to create a protection strategy that meets the conservation needs of the land as well as the goals and financial needs of the landowner.