Conservation Priorities
With so much opportunity for conservation in our vast 2.3-million-acre service area, we think long and hard about where investments in time and money will make the greatest impact for both wildlife and people. We do so by evaluating four key priority areas for every conservation opportunity:
- Protection of key habitats, species, and ecological processes
- Building resilience in a changing climate
- Strengthening our local community
- Increasing efficiency and reach
“Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.” – Aldo Leopold
Protecting Key Habitats & Species
Humans have inhabited our region for several thousand years, however, land use changes following the arrival of Euro-American settlers in the mid-1800’s have severely impacted the region’s habitats. We know that estuaries, waterways, riparian areas, wetlands and mature forests have all been altered by human impacts, and we prioritize opportunities to protect and restore these habitats.
Wild Rivers Land Trust seeks opportunities to conserve diverse habitats, especially those that protect large blocks of habitat, with the goal to sustain the ecological processes that we all depend on for survival.
“One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself, “What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?” -Rachel Carson