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Conservation & Environment 2026Updated

List of Accredited Land Trust Conservation Organizations

Comprehensive database of land trusts accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, with details on acreage protected, specialization areas, and geographic coverage for conservation easement donations and estate planning.

Available Data Fields

Organization Name
State
Acres Protected
Accreditation Status
Specialization
Year Founded
Contact Email
Phone Number
Website
Conservation Easements Held
Counties Served

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Organization NameStateAcres ProtectedSpecialization
Vermont Land TrustVermont650,000+Farmland & Forestland
Colorado Open LandsColorado658,149Working Lands & Water
Scenic Hudson Land TrustNew York53,000+Hudson Valley Landscapes
Montana Land RelianceMontana1,137,062Ranchland & Wildlife Habitat
Peconic Land TrustNew York14,000+Agricultural & Natural Lands

400+ records available for download.

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Accredited Land Trust Conservation Organizations in the United States

As of 2025, 478 land trusts across 46 U.S. states and territories hold accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance established in 2006. Together, these organizations steward nearly 20 million acres—roughly 77% of all conservation lands and easements held by U.S. land trusts.

What Accreditation Means for Landowners and Donors

Accreditation verifies that a land trust meets rigorous national standards for governance, finances, transactions, and long-term stewardship. For landowners considering a conservation easement donation, working with an accredited trust provides assurance that:

  • The organization follows ethical practices and sound financial management
  • Easements will be monitored and defended in perpetuity
  • The donation qualifies under IRS requirements for charitable deductions

Tax Benefits of Conservation Easement Donations

Donating a conservation easement to a qualified accredited land trust can yield significant tax benefits:

BenefitDetails
Federal Income Tax DeductionUp to 50% of AGI; 15-year carryforward
Enhanced Farmer/Rancher DeductionUp to 100% of income for qualifying agricultural producers
Estate Tax ExclusionUp to 40% of land value excluded (capped at $500,000) under IRC §2031(c)
State Tax Credits14 states plus Puerto Rico offer additional credits (typically 15–30%)

Finding the Right Land Trust

Accredited land trusts vary widely in specialization and geographic focus. Key factors when selecting an organization include:

Geographic Coverage
Some trusts operate in a single county; others span entire states or multi-state regions
Conservation Focus
Specializations range from farmland preservation and forestland protection to wildlife habitat, watershed conservation, and urban green space
Capacity for Stewardship
Larger trusts may offer dedicated stewardship staff, legal resources, and monitoring infrastructure

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission maintains a public Accredited Land Trust Locator that allows searching by state and region.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.How do I verify a land trust is currently accredited?

Accreditation status can be confirmed through the Land Trust Accreditation Commission’s online locator at landtrustaccreditation.org. Accreditation is renewed every five years, so current status matters. Our data is gathered from public sources at the time of your request via AI web crawling.

Q.Does donating to an accredited land trust guarantee tax deduction eligibility?

Accreditation indicates the trust meets national standards, which is a strong indicator. However, the IRS evaluates each conservation easement individually based on conservation purpose, appraisal, and perpetuity requirements. We recommend consulting a tax advisor familiar with conservation transactions.

Q.What types of land can be protected through an accredited land trust?

Accredited trusts protect farmland, forestland, wetlands, wildlife corridors, scenic landscapes, water resources, historic sites, and urban green space. The specific types depend on each trust’s mission and the conservation values present on your property.

Q.How current is this data?

When you request data, our AI crawls the web in real time to collect the latest publicly available information from land trust websites, the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, and related public sources. This is not a static database—information is gathered fresh for each request.

Q.Can I find land trusts operating in my specific county?

Yes. Our dataset includes geographic coverage details for each accredited land trust, including the states and counties they serve. You can filter by location to find trusts active in your area.